Wammy days
by KFMMSA
Summary: Every single day is the same old routine and just as its really starting to get boring good old Roger takes it upon himself to liven up my life. "here Mello have a roommate." uh, no thanks. But the red heads started to grow on me...
1. The beginning of something more

Disclaimer cause I guess I should do one. Sigh. I do not own death note, if I did there would be a whole 50 book long series on the Wammy days. And I wouldn't have to write fanfics It'd all just be part of the series…

Monday. I've never much cared for Mondays. Monday means another tormenting set of 24 hours in which half of it is used to teach me things I already know, another day of competing with the albino freak, another day of life. The beginning of each day begins with awakening and readying ones self for the activities to come; I had already done this and was now on my way to the Wammy house cafeteria. Pushing open the plain wooden door I glanced around searching for an empty table I could seat myself at and eat in peace. As I did so a flash of red caught my eye. _Red? No one here has red hair, must be one of those crazy girls, their always dying their hair funny colors._

I quickly grabbed some breakfast which consisted of some fresh fruit, cereal, and waffles. I passed on the cereal but the waffles were chocolate chip so I couldn't refuse, the fruit I threw on the floor. As I neared the table I had staked out a few minutes before, a soft humming could be heard above the clamoring and chattering. It was only when I sat down that it hit me full blast. It was quiet yes, but it was there, the unmistakable sound of a game being played. Of course not playing and games myself I couldn't place the tune, but I'd heard enough of them played by some of the other kids, that I could tell what it was. I slowly turned my head to the left, where the music was coming from, to come face to face with a mob of red hair. The boy to whom it belonged to was slouched over, his face hidden behind his bright bangs. He wore a simple outfit, a long sleeved black and white striped shirt with a baggy pair of jeans covering his legs. In his lap, clutched between his gloved hands, was the source of the racket.

"Do you _have_ to do that here and wait, why are you even sitting here?!" I snapped, sending my best glare at the smaller boy. He didn't even bother to look up from the game as he replied.

"You're Mello right? Mr. Roger told me to find you and introduce myself. I'm going to be your roommate from today onward." The monotone voice he was using was getting on my nerves.

"I see" I thought for a moment. "Well, are you going to introduce yourself or not?" I made my voice as cold sounding as I could, but again the red head was unfazed.

"The names Matt" He finally looked up and I quickly examined his face. His eyes were green but not one certain hue, dark in spots and light in others. His lips had formed a goofy looking smile. He held out his hand for me to shake, but I picked up my tray and brushed it aside.

History class was more amusing then I thought it would be. The new kid, Matt, was the source of the amusement of course, him at that game boy of his. He wouldn't put it down even when the teacher threatened him. The funny thing was the teacher was getting super flustered over the whole thing. Her face had gone as red as a tomato and her curly hair was a mass of frizz from the static she herself was creating. I don't think I've ever enjoyed history class so much. In the end Matt got led off to Roger's office and we got the rest of the hour off.

During science Matt made even more of a ruckus. He entered the class looking a little put out probably due to Rogers lecture on habits and hobbies; I've gotten it more then a few times due to my chocolate cravings. He sat down and instead of pulling out his game he started doodling on the desk. I think he had his game boy taken away or something but, anyway due to his activities he was paying no attention what so ever to the directions Mr. Watson was giving out for the lab. So when mixing time came Matt just dumped everything in the glass jar over the fire. At first the concoction only turned a putrid shade of green. But, after giving it a minute or so to warm up the whole thing exploded. A few kids screamed and the whole class was evacuated from the class room. Matt just shrugged and followed in the mass of panicking kids, his expression indifferent. Boy did he get lectured afterwards! I couldn't stop laughing about the whole thing. No newbie has ever screwed up twice in the same day. Especially since this is a home of "_geniuses_" I wonder about that sometimes though.

Math was boring as always, Matt was supposed to be in this class as well but he was to busy being in Rogers office to stop by. We went over some basic algebra equations and a few proofs, nothing too hard; actually it was quite easy, at least for me it was.

After math is lunch and, just like breakfast, it begins with me searching for an empty table in the back. I can normally get the same table every day. You see people know me; I'm the fair haired cold hearted girly boy of the school. People tend to stay away from me, which is exactly what I want them to do. I don't want any friends because I don't want to deal with the problems that come with them. Betrayal, abandonment, sadness all that bull, I don't want a single part of it. I'm very happy all on my own, me and my chocolate, that's all I need. So when I found the red blob sitting at my table you can imagine the look on my face. Well if you can't let's just say I wasn't too pleased with the idea of sharing my table with the gamer.

"Excuse me" I demanded from the younger boy, my lunch tray grasped between my pale hands.

"Oh hi" He had his game boy back now and was sucked into a game.

"Sorry but I don't know if you noticed"

"Noticed what" _He interrupted me, He totally interrupted me, No one interrupts Mello!_

"You're sitting at my table, in my seat."

"Oh, sorry." He got up and moved a seat over, it was better,_ if_ you call sticking your head further into the lion's mouth better.

I sighed, this guy was dense and I was beginning to doubt my powers of control. Sitting down I "accidentally" kicked him pretty hard in the shin. The weird thing was he didn't complain, no ow, no hey what'd ya do that for, nothing except for a very, very slight flinch. Thinking that I'd maybe hit a nerve I decided to leave it at that. It would take a while but I'd break this kid in.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. Classes went on, and I guess Matt had had enough of lectures because he didn't disrupt anymore of the classes. It was a bit of a disappointment, I was sort of looking forward to whatever he would pull next. But one can only hope for so much I guess.

That evening was spent in the lounge. Though it more of a playroom than anything. They've got a couple TV's all set up with games and karaoke, only one of them is actually used for watching TV and movies. There are two large couches one against the side wall and one in the center of the room. A large rug is laid over the carpet under the center couch. It was put there because of a large red pop spill, since then food of any sort has been banned from the playroom. In a corner of the room is a large table with board games and puzzles. That, of course, is where you can always find Near, the albino freak and his white pajamas.

Near is an odd one. He came to the orphanage after I did. I was actually put in charge of "taking care" of him for a couple weeks after he arrived. It started out great, we would talk and hang out, I'd show him around the school, and we helped each other with homework. To tell you the truth he was something close to a friend. That was until he placed first. As you might know, I'm a little competitive and I don't take second place kindly, especially when someone I trusted had taken away my top spot right from under my nose. No I didn't take kindly to this at all. To make a long story short, Near got beaten black and blue and I was put into a sort of mix between house arrest and suspension. I couldn't leave the grounds on weekends like some of the other kids could, my chocolate supply was cut and I missed school which meant I had to make up work later. Beating up Near was worth it though. It's also the reason I don't make friends anymore. After that people became scared of me, they'd avoid me. I used to have a whole gang of people who would hang out with me, and slowly the numbers diminished. Not that I care, I don't need them.

But, anyway, back to the playroom. I was sitting there in the only armchair in the room when good old Roger came in.

"Mello!"

All the kids stopped their play and started at me and then at Roger.

"What?" My voice was smooth and calm as I raised an eyebrow at him questionably.

"I need you to come to my office."

"Did I do something wrong"

"No,"

"Then why do I" He cut me off.

"Now Mello"

"A 'right A' right"

Arriving in Roger's office the first thing I noticed was the blob of red sitting in one of the office chairs that over looked Roger's desk.

"Now Mello, I know you don't want to but, I need you to show Matt around the school. He only knows where his classes and the cafeteria are, and that was because other kids were kind enough to show him the way." I rolled my eyes in response; Roger didn't take to that to kindly.

"Mello this is your responsibility and I need you to take it seriously" He stated sternly.

I sighed, why oh why was it always me. I think Roger is holding a grudge, just because I spray-painted his office pink, have stolen chocolate from the kitchen and a couple other harmless pranks doesn't mean he gets to pick on me.

"Mello, please, just this once do something helpful!"

"No" I huffed, I knew I wasn't going to get out of this one, but that didn't mean I would just submit.

"Mello, L will be here in a week's time, do you really think he want to hear about you being in detention and suspended again.

_WHAT!?!?! You can't suspend me for NOT doing something, that's just…just cruel and unusual punishment…and wait L IS COMING IN A WEEK!!!! Why weren't we informed of this…Maybe he's just messing with me, trying to make sure I do what he wants. But, what if he's not! Ah damn Mello; you're stuck between a rock in a hard place with no room to squeeze out._

"Fine" I grumbled unhappily.

"I'll show Matt around, but no more than that."

"Mello, I hope you haven't forgotten."

"What?"  
"He's also going to be your room mate so you two better get along, I don't want to hear of or see any fights."

"WHAT"

"I told you during breakfast" Matt put in; I had nearly forgotten that the red haired boy was in the room with us.

"Why is he MY roommate!? Why can't he room with I don't know, Near or someone!?"

"Mello, I think it's high time you got a roommate, plus all the other boys already have one and as for Near, well, he's a special case."

"Because he's number one!? What the hell Roger, you can't have special privileges if you're smart. That….That's just not fair"

"That's not what I meant Mello, Near just isn't very good at socializing"

I sighed, defeated; I knew I was being childish. Plus there was no winning an argument with Roger. For an old man Roger was pretty good at holding his own in a fight, especially if it was a verbal one, I've never seen him in a physical fight of course, but, with how stubborn he is I might just place my money on him.

After that he shoved me and Matt out of his office and asked me to show matt to the lounge and then to our room.

Entering the lounge I could feel his gaze lock onto the game machines laid out on the shelves. We have pretty much every system there is. A play station, a play station two, game cube, Nintendo 64, Xbox, the list goes on and on.

"This is the lounge, better known as the playroom, evenings, free time and weekends are when you can play here." After that I told him who some of the kids were, though I didn't directly introduce them. He simply nodded and continued to stare at the games on the shelves. Not wanting to stick around much longer I pulled him out of the room and dragged him up to my dorm room.

They'd brought up a second bed and placed it against the wall across from mine, all his luggage had also been brought up and was resting against the pillows. The room is on the larger side, if you compare it to a lot of the other rooms. It's made up of two rooms, the bedroom and a bathroom. The bedroom is a large rectangle; a bed was pressed into each of the two back corners of the room. Opposite them are two desks, there used to be only one but since Matt moved in they gave him one as well. A laptop is another Item that comes with the room, there is internet access at Wammys but the laptops are supposed to be homework only computers according to Roger. Not that anyone listens to Roger. At the end of each bed is a small wardrobe for our clothes. Other than that the room is pretty bare. I didn't bother to decorate it like some of the other kids do. I couldn't find a reason to.

"This is the room" I said, my voice monotone, as I flopped down on to my designated bed. Pulling a book out from under the bed; which is where I keep all of them, I started to read. Of course the red head across from me sat and pulled out his game boy, it was a predictable action, seeing as that's all he seemed to do, play video games. With the games volume all the way up it wasn't long before I snapped at him. Not only that I hadn't had a proper dose of chocolate that day meaning my new rommie was defiantly in a danger zone. I quickly got up and made my way to the door. Dinner would be soon anyway so heading downstairs now wasn't a horrible idea. The problem was that the red haired nuisance was following me, game boy music blasting all the way. I nearly turned around and punched him in the face. Luckily for him I was able to control my emotions.

"Could you _please_ stop following me" I growled at him through my teeth, I was seriously not in the mood.

"Sorry, just heading down to dinner same as you. I'd walk in front but I thought you'd like that even less." He had surprised me, thinking like that, and the thing was; he was probably right. Him walking in front of me most defiantly would have pissed me off even more. Taking this in to consideration I managed to calm down a little.

In the dinning room he sat at my table again. It didn't bug me as much though due to the fact that he gave me his chocolate pudding, I'm not sure how he knew, since I hadn't eaten any chocolate during the day, but somehow he had figured out that I had a soft spot for it. He hadn't even asked if I wanted it, just shoved it towards my plate and continued playing his game. As he did I couldn't help but observe him a little. He didn't eat much of his food, he actually grimaced at it. I suppose it had to do with the reason he was at this school. All of the Wammy kids have circumstances, me I was abandoned as toddler. Wammy found me on the cold snowy streets of a small town in Russia during a business trip. He was originally going to put me in a local orphanage but when he found out my potential he brought me back to England where the Wammy orphanage is located. The reason for my potential was the fact that I had taught myself fluent English, Russian, and a few other languages all by the age of 4. With my only source being the old newspapers that people threw away. I hadn't known that until the age of 7 when some one told me. Personally I think I only did it for survival, it was so I could try and communicate with the people who passed by. I was looking for my family you see, they'd left town though or something because I never found them.

The thing about the Wammy kids is none of us knows any background about the others. I mean some of us do but that's because they were chatter boxes, or kids looking for attention. The other thing is we all have new names. Like mine, Mello is not my birth name. Roger says it's for our own safety, I think it's just a reason for them to give us stupid names. There's one girl named Clip. I mean, come on, couldn't they give out normal names like Susan or Kim or even Robin. Though personally I like my name, it fits me.

Anyway, after dinner I went on a chocolate hunt. You see Roger normally gives me a chocolate ration every Sunday, the beginning of the week. But for some reason it slipped his mind, and I'd forgotten to remind him when he called me to his office because of Matt. Speaking of the redhead he was still following me. Luckily for him he'd won my favor with the chocolate pudding move. Plus he had turned the volume down; it was still there but at a much more tolerable level now. Though I made him turn it down all the way when we got to the kitchens. They keep the kitchen doors locked so kids like myself can't sneak in and get food whenever we want. The thing is the lock is kind of outdated; it's one of those old key locks. It's even got a nice layer of rust as an antique accent. Not that I mind, the lock is easy to pick, so I'm not complaining. It only takes a couple of seconds with my practiced hand and a bobby pin, to get the door free. Once it's unlocked we head inside. I close the door and place Matt in front of it, if his going to come along he's at least got to be helpful. There aren't any chairs in the kitchen and the chocolate bars are kept in one of the top cupboards. So I've got to scramble onto the counter top to get to them. It's actually a lot harder than it might seem but, no worries. Within 5 minuets were heading back to the room. Me with 10 chocolate bars hidden on my person and Matt still with his game boy clutched between his gloved hands.


	2. Just another day

Tuesday morning I awoke to the noisy beeping of the alarm clock on my desk. Sleepily I got out of bed and stumbled towards the annoying noise producer. Turning it off I rubbed my eyes and looked around. To my surprise there was a second bed in the room. _Oh yeah, new kid, room mate, Matt_ I was still to asleep to be thinking straight. Walking into the bathroom I turned on the sink, cold water filled the basin and I quickly splashed my face with some. As a result I was instantly awake. Cold water can do that to a person. Returning to the bed room I rummaged through my wardrobe searching for an outfit to wear that day. As I did an almost whimpering noise came from the still occupied bed on the other end of the room. I sighed; he was probably having a nightmare. Most kids do their first week at the orphanage. It's mostly due to their traumatic pasts. I know I had them, horrible dreams of being left in the dark and the cold. They fade away though, as time goes on you simply get used to the Wammy atmosphere and they just sort of disappear.

I was contemplating my choices. I could wake Matt up or I could leave him in his dream world. It didn't really matter to me but deciding to be a good person I shook him a little.

"Hey Matt. Come on get up." There was no response and I could feel him shivering under the blanket.

"Matt, you've got to get up, it's only a dream" I shook him a bit harder which rewarded me with a soft, sleepy moan as his eyes blinked open. Upon seeing my face he jumped and crawled away.

"I'm sorry I, I." He seemed a little lost and the look in his eyes told me he wasn't quite sure as to his whereabouts. That happens a lot to new kids as well. They tend to forget that their at Wammy's for the first week or so. Can't really believe that they're somewhere like this I guess, somewhere that they'll be taken care of.

"Matt, Matt its okay. I'm Mello remember, we met yesterday. You're at Wammy's now." He seemed to have calmed down now, though he was still shaking.

"Sorry about that, just."

"I know. Now come on and get dressed, breakfast starts in 15 minutes." I was being nice to him. Only because he was a new kid and he had just woken up from a nightmare though.

We ate breakfast in silence before heading to class. I let him walk with me; it made sense since we were in the same class. History was boring; we were covering the industrial revolution of America and England. Very dull, it's something I'd call worthless, but I took notes all the same, there's no way I'm failing a class just because I don't like it. That would put me in dead last. It wasn't easy holding second place. Surprisingly Wammy's is a pretty competitive place, everyone's aiming for first, I'm currently second though I used to be at the top. But I've already told you that story.

Science all we did was book work. At this rate Tuesday was going to be my new Monday. Math ended up being a bit more amusing. Matt, having missed the previous day, was forced to solve questions on the board. The surprising thing was he didn't get a single one right. This is stuff I can do in my sleep. It almost seemed like he was doing it on purpose.

During lunch I ate by myself, Matt had wandered off and had left me in peace. Though not completely. He'd been on my mind, mostly due to the mystery that surrounded him. He didn't talk much, he didn't eat much, and He wasn't good at math. I couldn't figure out why he was at Wammy's. With most kids it's pretty obvious; they all have some sort of skill that sets them apart from "normal" children. Near for example, though I hate using him as one, his observation skills are tops, and he's excellent at solving puzzles of any kind be them a board or a mathematical equation. I hate to compliment the freak but I won't deny that he's a genius. Other kids excel at art or science. Each one of us has and uncanny ability. Me I'm good at retaining information, and simply learning and observing. This Matt kid, I wasn't to sure about him.

English comes after lunch. We are currently working on reading gone with the wind. To tell you the truth I haven't picked mine up yet, I keep trying to but it's just not interesting. I read a lot, I've got piles under my bed but love stories are not my idea of reading. The teacher gave Matt his book today. You should have seen the face he made at it; it was one of utter disgust. Well, at least there was one thing we agreed on.

After English gets out, and we each have an essay due the following week. We head towards the art room. Art is not my favorite subject. I'm rather bad at it so I try to stay away from it. Unfortunately for me it's a requirement by Roger's school plans, just another reason for me to dislike the old man. Today were doing still lives, the teacher has set up vases with flowers in them for us to draw and paint during the week. Looking at what Matt, who had sat down beside me, had started to draw I grimaced. It was a crude doodle, probably of some game monster, or character, I wasn't quiet sure. Art was defiantly not the reason he had come to Wammy's.

During Free time Matt was no where to be found. Not that I was looking for him. I had gone to the lounge expecting him to be there eager to get his hands on the games that lay in wait. He wasn't there though. I didn't go searching for him; I asked a few people if they had seen him, each answered no. So I left the room and headed towards the library.

Wammy's has a pretty impressive library, not that I've seen many others that I can compare it to. It's a two story book storage with countless numbers of books. I tend to spend a lot of time in here, reading, or just enjoying the quiet. They also have a small computer area where we kids can do searches, or whatever it is that the others do. I've seen them playing games, and all sorts of other stuff. This is where I found Matt. He's hard to miss with that mass of red hair. He had plopped himself down in front of one of the computers and was typing like crazy, his eyes glued to the screen. I decided to leave him alone, he looked a little busy. So I went and found a chair a little ways away. I could still see him from my seat and decided to just observe. It was sort of interesting, watching him as he intently concentrated on the electronic device in front of him. It was the same with his game boy. His brow was furrowed in concentration and he blinked maybe once every two minutes. It was actually sort of scary in a way. Not only that, he seemed a little on edge, his ears twitched listening for approaching footsteps. I was seriously curious now; I needed to know what he was doing. Getting up I decided I'd just use the direct method. Sitting down beside him caught his attention.

"Hey Matt? What are you doing" He nearly fell backwards from surprise or shock, I wasn't sure which.

"N-nothing"

"Hmmm really, you seemed to be concentrating pretty hard. Are you working on your English essay?"

"Uh, yeah, sure"

"Matt"

"Huh?" He looked scared now, like he had been caught red handed. Which, in a sense he had.

"Don't lie to me"

"You won't tell?"

"Matt" He sighed at that, he knew he couldn't get away.

"I'm hacking into the orphanage's mainframe." I sent him a questioning look. Not being a computer nerd I had no idea what he was talking about.

"You know like getting information from restricted files on the orphanages main aw never mind." He had my attention now. Restricted files? I'd never heard of them, though now that I think about it they probably had files on each of the kids somewhere. Though they were probably under really, really severe protection.

"How're you doing that?"

"Well it's a complicated process; you've got to get past a lot of fire walls. But to tell you the truth this has been pretty easy. I've hacked into a lot harder stuff."

"Such as?" He didn't answer me, he just continued typing furiously.

_Maybe it's his computer skills that got him stuck here._

Author note: So this chapter is well, to put it bluntly, crap. Loads and loads of it. Not only that it simply cuts off. So I apologize. I'll try to do better. But, anyway if any of you have ideas you'd like to see happen let me know. I'll be making quite a few changes to this and the previous chapter in due time. I'm trying to figure out how to work B into this story so yes ideas and opinions are greatly appreciated. Hope it didn't suck _too_ much and sorry again.- KF


	3. Goggles and bonds

The week went by like all weeks do. Fast in some parts, slow in others. By Saturday Matt and I had formed a sort of bond. He was actually very pleasant company. He didn't talk a whole lot, and when he did he tended to be pretty funny. I spent a lot less time studying and a lot more time socializing. Which surprised me, studying is like chocolate for me, I can't get enough of it. Speaking of chocolate Matt had managed to earn a couple points on my good side with bribes. Well I call them bribes; he says he just doesn't care for it.

Saturday is a free day. We kids spend the day doing homework, playing games, that sort of stuff. I had woken up extra early in order to do some homework before breakfast. Call it what you will, I just wanted to get it done first thing, that way I wouldn't have to worry about it later. I'd done a good portion of it the night before, I just had and essay to type and a few more math problems to do before it was complete. I staggered to my desk and slid into the chair. My computer was already on from the night before so all I had to do was wiggle the mouse to get it to buzz to life. I winced at the light from the screen, and turning to the side, noticed that Matt had fallen asleep at his desk. Sighing, I decided to wake him so he could sleep in his bed for at least a few hours.

Standing up I walked over to the other desk. As I approached I heard Matt murmur something. Leaning in I caught what he was saying.

"Please, just give me a little longer, I'm almost done!" His tone of voice worried me, he sounded so desperate, so, pitiful. What in the world had happened to him?

"See, just one more wall, I promise. No wait please I just" He went quiet after that and I could see a single tear leak out his shut eye. I couldn't help it; I shook Matt slightly and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"shhhh Matt, it's okay. It's just a nightmare. You don't have to do anything for anyone anymore alright. It's going to be okay." I'm not sure what made me do it, but I couldn't help but need to comfort him. Maybe I was just becoming soft or something but I needed to help him, and I think he needed me to.

He woke up after that still crying. When he found that my arms were wrapped around him affectionately he calmed down. I couldn't help but smile at that.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, thanks" He replied pulling away, He wiped his eyes and sent me that goofy grin of his.

"Sorry about that"

"It's alright, now go back to sleep, on your bed" He laughed at that and I joined him.

"I fell asleep working on that essay"

After breakfast I went off with a couple of the other guys to play soccer. They may not have wanted to hang with me on a regular bases and I certainly wouldn't have let them. But soccer was another subject. To put it bluntly I was the most athletic person at Wammy's. When I wasn't inside studying I was outside. And according to everyone, I was the best team mate out there, for any sport. I tried to convince Matt to come with me, but for once he out right refused.

"Come on Mattie please?" I was actually pouting at him, not that I minded, Matt was someone who wouldn't gawk at my expressions, the only person I found that I could actually show emotion to.

"For the last time Mello, NO" My pout deepened at that.

"Why not" I crossed my arms for added effect, Matt remained unfazed.

"I don't do outdoors."

"But Matt"

"NO"

Out on the soccer field I was scheming a way to get Matt out of the house and onto the fields. First I had to figure out the reason he wouldn't come out. Did he have Allergies? No that wasn't it, he'd have them inside, since they leave the windows open. Maybe the Noise bothered him? With the racket his games made I doubted that one. Then it hit me. Matt always complained about the light in the morning when I opened the blinds. He would hide under his hair during meals and class. It must be the sunlight. Although with staring at a bright screen all day long you'd think he'd be used to light. So now all I had to do was fix the problem. I couldn't get rid of the sun altogether, but I might be able to help.

By the time the match was over it was past lunch time. After shaking hands with the other players and giving out numerous High fives I headed back inside for some food. Matt greeted me at the door.

"So how'd you do?"

"We won 15 to 5" I sent him as large a smile as I could muster. He grinned back and held up his hand. I hit it with mine and smiled wider. Matt did that to you, he could make you smile; brighten up your mood, just by being there and caring. Walking towards the cafeteria I asked Matt if we wanted to go into town after lunch. Roger lets a group of kids go into town with their allowance every weekend. Of course we're chaperoned but it means we can get out and about; we aren't cut off from civilization.

"Mello, I told you, I'm not going out side"

"Fine suit yourself, I'm going, there's something I want to get." He didn't reply. We had reached the room of food by now and he had moved ahead to grab lunch. I followed suit and grabbed a tray.

After Lunch we split up, I ran up to Roger's office to see if I could go into town while Matt scuttled off to the lounge. Roger said yes and I quickly ran outside to the small bus that was transporting kids to town.

I returned at precisely 5:00pm so I had an hour to dinner. Hurriedly I made my way to our room. Fishing under my bed I finally found what I had been looking for. It was a gift bag from Christmas of the previous year. Sure it had Santa Clause on it but I figured that Matt wouldn't really care. I didn't have anything else to wrap the gift in anyway, so I figured that it would just have to work. I couldn't wait to give it to him, but I decided to wait until after dinner. Skipping down to the cafeteria I found Matt already at our table his game boy in his gloved hands.

"Hey" He hadn't bothered to look up. That was another thing about Matt. He always knew if it was me who approached him, you could be super sneaky about it and he'd still know. It was a little creepy actually.

"Hello" I answered cheerily and sent him a smile, he didn't see it though, he was to into his game to notice. After that I went and got some food. I got enough for both of us since he hadn't gotten any food.

"Matt come on, I got you some food" He ignored me and kept playing his game.

_What the hell is his problem?_

After dinner Matt ditched me to hang out in the lounge. I was feeling abandoned, the very reason I don't become attached to people. I sighed and flopped face first onto my bed. This whole thing had me realizing how close I'd grown to Matt in a simple week. I couldn't help it; Matt was just the sort of person you felt you needed to talk to, to care of.

For some reason I felt no regret in doing so either. I guess social interactions are just human nature. But I think that even if I had a chance to do this first week over, I'd still have become friends with him in the end. Friends, it sounded nice, being friends with Matt.

I waited exactly 3 hours 22 minutes and 15 seconds before Matt reappeared. I had decided to leave Matt alone for a while. You need to do that sometimes. Don't push a person into telling you what's wrong, let them think it through and when they've figured it out they'll let you know. If you pressure them into telling you they won't have had time to think it through themselves which might result in hasty decisions and heated words, At least that's what I expect would happen, or what would happen if someone pressured me. Actually it might end with a few bloody knuckles and at least one black eye. So while I waited I had done some studying, my English essay had been completed that morning so all that had been left was a few math problems. After finishing those I did some Extra credit stuff for History before moving on to studying for the upcoming science test.

Matt barely had room to open the door with all my books on the floor.

"Hey Mells?" I looked up suddenly. _Never heard that name before, is he giving __me__pet names now?_

"What Mattie?" I looked up innocently at him; I even batted my eyelashes for an added effect. I could see the grin he was trying desperately to hold back.

"Could you move some books so I can at least get _in_ the room" I laughed.

"Sure, sorry about the mess."

I had most of the books picked up in a few minuets and now Matt was sitting on his bed with his game boy. I was still stretched out on the floor contemplating how to give Matt his gift. I could just give it to him, but that seemed a little blunt. I was having some difficulties due to the fact that I'd never given a gift. Well I'd given stuff out at Christmas but that's different. Sighing I decided to just go for it. I crawled over to my bed and pulled the small bag out from under it.

"Hey Matt"

"Hmm?" I thought a minute then shoved the bag over his Game boy, and then quickly retreated to the corner of my bed with a book. Okay so I'm a little on the shy side, who cares. I peaked over the pages of the book to see Matt putting his Game down, he had paused it the moment I put the bag on top just in case. Now he was pulling out the small box I had carefully placed the gift in. I turned my eyes back to my book when there was a gasp of surprise. Had he liked the gift? I couldn't tell and I was too scarred to look and find out. What if he hadn't? Luckily for me Matt decided to tackle me.

"Thank you!"

"y-you like them?"

"Yes! Their perfect! I'm surprised that you knew I was sensitive to light!" The orange tinted goggles were already pulled on covering his eyes. I had picked goggles because sunglasses would fall off and didn't fit as well. Plus goggles just seemed to scream Matt. I laughed in relief. It was a silly thing to be worked up over but I had been. He gave me a large hug.

"So you'll come outside?"

"As long as I don't have to play"

"Huh? But that's the whole point of being outside."

"Sorry Mello but I'm no good at sports."

"Eh?"

"It's true!"

"Fine, but you still have to come outside; you're starting to look sickly with that super pale skin." We laughed and chatted for a while after that. Another bond had been made between the two of us, one of orange plastic and black elastic eye wear.


	4. Black eyes and bribes

Sunday I went to mass while Matt slept in. The Wammy kids are free to practice religion at our will so Roger makes sure that things such as Sunday mass are available for us. He actually hired a Reverend and everything. So every Sunday morning I attend. I'm not a terribly religious person but I think there's got to be someone or thing up there looking over all of us. Especially the Wammy kids, we all have our circumstances and nearly all of us were saved when we were brought here. If not for Quillish Wammy I would have ended up frozen in an alley or, had I survived, a prostitute or something worse. So I figure I've got to thank someone for my blessings.

Matt on the other hand doesn't believe in it. I'm sure it has something to do with his past but I'm not going to pry if he wants' to sleep in that's fine with me. Just so long as he doesn't stop me from coming.

Moving on, after mass I woke Matt up and we went down to breakfast which consisted of pancakes. I love pancake days, they put out every topping you could ever dream out. The reason behind this is that at Wammy's kid's habits and cravings are helped along. My chocolate supply, Nears puzzles and toys, B and his strawberry jam. They cover it all and not a single one is abandoned or ridiculed. Matt has been provided with a new Game boy and several new games and he's only been here a week. There are a couple really odd ones though. There's one girl, names Kinn, she constantly needs something to chew on so they provide her with snacks galore, otherwise she chews on anything she can find. And I mean anything pens, paper, fingers (even if their not her own). She's not a bad kid though, actually scratch that yes she is. She's a manipulative little freak. But anyway, due to the odd cravings of the kids here, they make sure everything is available as toppings. So when I finally got back to our table Matt lifted an eyebrow at my plate.

"Some pancake with your chocolate sauce?" I stuck my tongue out at him, sat, and began to chow. Pancake days were defiantly the best.

After breakfast I dragged Matt outside with me. We had to stop by our room first so he could grab a different game though. When we got outside the other guys had already started a game. I rushed over to join them while Matt found a place in the shade to play his own game. The orange goggles were strapped around his head, protecting his eyes from the sun. I smiled, he hadn't taken the goggles off since he'd gotten them, he'd even slept with them on. Though I have this feeling that that's due to his own lazy ways.

Part way through the game I saw a few people approach Matt. He ignored them which seemed to aggravate them. It looked like they were yelling at him but I couldn't tell. I was looking for a reaction from the red head but he just buried himself further into the game. I took a time out and ran over to them approaching I could hear their heated words.

"To good to talk to us huh?"

"Humph. Is it because you're friends with Mello? Is that what makes you so special?" Matt didn't respond.

"Leave him alone" I shouted intruding on their conversation.

"You going to hide behind him now?" One of them actually pushed Matt's head lower towards the game, he didn't resist. I punched him and pretty soon I was fighting with all four of them.

"Mello, Mello, Mello. If I've told you once I've told you a thousand times. There is no fighting at Wammy's ever. Why oh why can't you listen just once."

I was sitting in Roger's office, a bruise on my eye was starting to show and my lip was bleeding. To tell you the truth I was pretty beat, but, you should have seen the other guys. They went limping away to find a teacher, one of them was actually crying, probably because I broke his nose but.

"He asked for it" I huffed; stupid Roger was being well, stupid.

"Mello no matter how much someone 'asks for it' it doesn't make it right to hit them"

"How would you know? They were picking on Matt, I couldn't let them just get away with it."

"Mello, that's what the staff is for, you're supposed to come and tell us"

"And get labeled a damn tattle tale! No way"  
"Mello watch your tongue"

An hour later I found myself in my dorm room. I'd been banned from the outdoors for a week and wasn't allowed in the lounge. Roger couldn't ban me from the library because of school work but if he could have he would have. Not only that but he cut my chocolate supply as an extra punishment for having talked back to him.

"Damn old geezer"

It was right then that Matt made his appearance. He entered the room quietly as if trying to remain unnoticed.

"Hey"

"Hey" his response was emotionless as he sat on the bed across from me. We remained like that, in an awkward silence, for what felt like hours. Finally he decided to speak.

"Thanks" It was short, simple and to the point but, it was what I had been hoping to hear.

"Hey, what are friends for." I smiled at him but he turned away. Something really seemed to be bugging him. I wasn't going to push it to much but sometimes you've got to show that you're at least a little concerned.

"Want to talk?" He didn't answer for a while but eventually he shook his head.

"Nah, I'm fine. Thanks for worrying though" He sent me his signature grin letting me know that everything was just fine.

"By the way, nice eye" He pointed at the large bruise that had formed.

"You should have seen the other kids nose"

"So how'd Roger take it" I made a face at him and he laughed.

"That bad huh?"

"You'd better find a way to get me some extra chocolate that's how bad."

"Aw man, Roger why'd ya go and punish innocent ol me too. I don't want to deal with a chocolate withdrawing Mello" He whined earning himself a light punch on the shoulder.

We horsed around after that. I don't think I've heard Matt say that many words…ever. I guess that means he's opening up, it makes me feel happy, knowing that Matt will talk to me. Geez I am getting soft.

During lunch Matt gave me his chocolate chip cookie, my supply of chocolate bars had run out that morning so this act of kindness earned him and unexpected hug.

"Thank you" I said pulling away, he smiled and laughed. Matt's laugh makes me smile, it's quiet and low, more of a chuckle in a way. He does laugh but not a whole lot, it's sort of musical really. Like the ring of chimes, but not high pitched and annoying, it's hard to describe. We left the cafeteria together and went to the library. Seeing as the lounge and the grounds were no longer an option. On our way there we ran into Kinn, she's the girl with the chewing habit. I hadn't seen her recently due to the fact that she was in the hospital. Just goes to show that chewing on bottles of Windex really isn't a good idea.

"Mello!" she waved us over. Kinn is a little odd, not just because of the chewing thing, but because she'll talk to anyone and everyone. The whole school knows who she is. She's a small girl around 12 years old so she's older than me by 2 years. It makes me mad sometimes because she treats me like a total baby. She also has a weird taste in clothes. I tend to keep it simple, black T-shirt, and jeans. Her on the other hand, well I don't even know. Today she had picked out a black tattered skirt under which she was wearing bright purple jeans. As a top she had sewed several T-shirts together making it so her right shoulder was green her left was blue her back was flowered print and her mid-drift was black with skulls. I grimaced at the clashing colors.

"Mello I heard you got in a fight and Roger took away your chocolate supply, so I brought these for you." She held out 5 bags of M&M's along with a plastic bag full of mini Hershey bars. That's the other thing about Kinn. She's the biggest manipulative freak I've ever and will ever meet. Once she figures out your weakness you can bet your life on her using it in her favor more than a few times. Even knowing this I couldn't refuse the "gift".

"Alright Kinn what do you want?" I asked skeptically after taking the candy.

"Mello, I'm only offering you sweets because I'm your friend, why would you accuse otherwise." She blinked innocently.

"Kinn, I know you better than that"

"I know Mello, I know, but I've got to keep appearances right, and it wouldn't do to make a bad first impression"

"Oh right, Matt this is Kinn." He nodded in her direction.

"Your names Matt? Well it's a pleasure to meet you, let me know if you need anything alright." She skipped off down the hall.

"Mello you'll owe me for the chocolate" Was the last thing she said as she disappeared around the corner. Turning to Matt I whispered a warning.

"Don't ask her for anything, she'll hold it against you later for some horrible favor. Trust me." He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Also don't take her bribes"

"But you did"

"Well that's…..Aw crap I did didn't I" He chuckled at that

"So what in the world did she make you do?"

"Beat up a few people, She set me up with a couple pranks, had to paint Rogers office pink" I grimaced at the memory, I'd been lectured for three hours straight and had been forced to clean the showers for weeks.

By then we had reached the library. We stayed there for about an hour before Matt got bored and dragged me out. He didn't much like books and he said that the computers were out dated. Though I still wonder about the computer thing, I haven't figured out what he was doing that one day in the library. And I haven't figured out how to ask.

The rest of the day was pretty boring. I went back to studying for that science test. Matt left after awhile saying he was going to go play some games. It wasn't until around 5 when he came back.

"Heya" I greeted him.

"Have fun?"

"Yeah" It was that monochrome voice again. It made me kind of angry, hearing him talk like that, like nothing mattered or ever would.

"What'd ya play?"

"Just a few racing games, that's all. How about you? How's the science going?"

"Alright, have you studied at all?"  
"Nope"

"WHAT!?" At this rate Matt was going to get kicked out.

Authors note: It's random yes I know. I still have no idea where I'm going with this so again reviews would be helpful. Oh Kinn is my character, no stealing please. Not that anyone would want a colour blind chewing freak anyway but yeah. I am going to do something with Matt getting bullied though. That much I do know, what though I'm not to sure. Ideas?


	5. The arrival of L

Monday again, though, today was going to be exciting. You see L was due back today so all classes were canceled so us kids could start preparing. As you might guess I was ecstatic, L was coming back to Wammy's after being away quite a while. He had left for some detective thing. Only a few of us would actually get to see him though, that was, the top 5 would get to. The rest of the kids would have to make due with a synthesized voice and a calligraphic L on the TV screen. L's safety was the priority here.

Matt was pretty happy as well. Though not for the same reasons I was, since class had been canceled it had saved him from the science test and the English paper he hadn't finished.

Roger had gathered us all in the cafeteria to give out instructions.

"All of the older kids 16 and up will be in charge of setting up. B where are you?"

Now quickly before I continue I'd like to explain a little about B. B isn't like the other orphans at Wammy's. He's different, special, in a way you could call him an original Wammy kid. He's been here for as long as any of the kids can remember. He was brought up and raised as a 'backup' for L, in other words a copy. He even looks like him, not that any of the other kids would know, only a few of us have actually met L. Anyone who's been in line as his successor and a couple of the older kids who met him while he was still at Wammy's. But anyways, B has been trying to live up to and even surpass L his entire life; it's all he lives for. Now the problem is that living up to L isn't an easy task, somewhere along the way he cracked. So in other words he's a bit of a nut job, though I don't mind. I get along with him better than well, everyone at Wammy's. I might even call him a friend.

B walked up to the front of the room, squeezing through the hoards of children. As he reached the front of the room I could make out a jar of jam in his hand. B's job was to prepare L's room, seeing as their supposed to be 'the same' I guess it makes sense but, truthfully their nothing alike. B walks with a more pronounced slouch; L eats anything sweet while B only eats jam. There are quite a few differences, and I have this feeling that if someone had noticed them earlier B might not be such a…maniac.

After the meeting Near and I were called up to Roger's office. I sneered at my pajama clad rival before entering through the large double doors.

"What'd ya want old man." Roger sighed, I knew he hated my attitude and he knew I knew it too.

"Mello we are here to discuss the meetings with L. As you know only the top 5 in line for his succession are allowed meeting with him. In previous years we have conducted one large meeting but we feel it would be more appropriate to perform them separately this year."

"I don't mind but, why?"

"Privacy" The albino answered with a monotone voice. I'd only been in the room with him for 3 minutes and I already wanted to hit him.

"That is correct Near, a few of the 5 have asked for a more private meeting with L. They'd like to remain anonyms until the number results are given at the end of the term."

_Who would want the fact that their at the top of their class to stay __hidden__. _ It didn't make sense to me, I've always been proud of my spot as second. I was more proud when I was first but hey, second is better than third.

The rest of the day was spent preparing everything for L's arrival. Seats had to be set up in the auditorium so L could talk to the student body. The computer hook ups needed firewalls and this and that. Everyone seemed to be busy, everyone that is except me. Even Matt had a job; he was setting up the projection thing since some kids had broken it a while ago. The thing is, there are simply too many kids at Wammy's. It means things get done faster yes but, it also leaves more of us jobless.

I sighed and sunk further into my plastic chair. I was currently sitting in the near empty cafeteria sulking. I didn't have any chocolate; I couldn't go outside, couldn't play in the lounge, and now I didn't have anything to keep me distracted. Well that's not completely true, I had my thoughts. Which were currently circling around my meeting to come. You see when you get to have a private meeting with L well, lets just say it's a pretty big deal for us. You have to wonder what he'll talk about, if he'll talk at all. I wouldn't be surprised if L sat there, munching on the snacks Wammy supplied, completely silent until the next meeting was to start. Either that or something along the lines of "Oh hello Mello, I see you've kept your place as second in line, good work. Keep it up." He'd take a bite of cake there leaving an awkward sort of silence before finishing the meeting with a quick "next" No that wouldn't surprise me at all.

So there I was left alone with my thoughts when Kinn approached me. I sighed yet again, she was probably going to ask for payment.

"Hello Kinn, how can I help you?"

"Hmm? Oh nothing, I just came over to say hi." I eyed her suspiciously but she looked sincere, then again, looks can be deceiving.

"Sure" She sighed and turned to me.

"I'm I really that oh I dunno, untruthful? Is it really so hard to believe that I just wanted to say hi?"

"Yes"

"Way to be blunt"

"It's one of my skills"

"And charms right?"

"You bet'cha" She rolled her eyes.

"So really, what did you want?"

"Nothing really, I don't have anything to do so…"

"You too?"  
"Yeah, I was helping set up chairs but with 20 kids all working on that it took no time at all."

"So is everything done now?"

"No, B is still setting up the meeting room and Rogers working on some paper work that needs to get finished before Wammy shows up."

"Matt done yet?" I looked at her hopefully, she blinked surprised.

"Not that I know of, the projector was pretty smashed so it might take him a while." She paused thoughtfully before continuing.

"I'm surprised you guys are so close, I mean you have to admit Mello you're pretty, unapproachable." I sighed and was about to defend myself when B and Matt interrupted.

"Hey"

"Hello there"

Kinn brightened up upon seeing L's look alike. They've got a special sort of bond those two do. Sort of like the one that was beginning to form between me and Matt. See, there was this horrible accident three years back. A, who had also been a L 'backup' just like B, was the victim. Well actually it was more like he committed suicide but all the same. What had happened was that A was being pressured even more than usual for the L thing. L left the institution that year you see, so A's job was to sort of take his place as our role model at the orphanage. The problem was that A couldn't live up to it, he wasn't good at solving problems or equations, he wasn't even good at evaluating, what he did have was a knack for art. Because of this he broke, the pressure from the kids was simply too much. They found him dead, blood pouring out his wrists, in his bedroom. What does this have to do with Kinn and B? Well Kinn was A's best and truest friend. She was different then, quiet, kind, caring. When he killed himself she felt like it was her fault, like she had failed as a friend. Of course that wasn't true, it had nothing to do with her but, all the same that's what she felt. And so B came along, he helped her out of it, I don't know how or why, but he did. Its outcome was a bond, made of a feeling of debt.

"Hey B, Matt. How are the preparations going?"

"Well with the help of a role and a half of duct tape the projector works"  
"fine"  
That's another thing about B, his answers are always short and simple. I don't think I've ever heard more than a sentence come out of his mouth in one sitting.

"That's good"

"Hey Mello, you excited" Kinn asked, her brown eyes sparkling.

"Of course I am, he's been away for a year!" Matt raised his eyebrow at me and I, in turn, explained the meetings with L.

"Ah" He said, understanding, when I was through. I was about to continue when good old Roger nosed in.

"Mello" I made a face.

"What"

"You're to come up to the room now."

"You mean L's already here!"

"Yes, he arrived quite a while ago, Near just finished" I speed off after that, Roger didn't follow though, he was talking to Matt about something.

I reached the small office, which was to be used as a meeting room, in record time. I stopped to catch my breath before knocking softly on the door.

"Enter"

The wooden door creaked as I snuck through. The room I entered was dimly lit, and the sweet scent of strawberries and whipped cream wafted through my nose. There was a large, dark green couch laid out on the far end of the room. Closer to my position at the door was an arm chair, I recognized it. It was a simple white chair, or was supposed to be white. It was a sort of light brown now due to overuse. Some of the cloth covering was so worn that the fluff that filled it was beginning to come out. This chair, was L's favorite.

Making my way around the chair I sat on the couch. L was seated in the armchair in his normal, or abnormal, position. His knees were drawn up to his chin, his toes clenched the edge of the seat. On his knees was the source of the smell I had noticed upon entering the room, a large plate of strawberry shortcake. As I sat L began the meeting.

"I see you've kept your place as second." His voice was monotone as he raised a forkful of cake to his mouth. _Thanks for pointing out the obvious._ I nodded though; I couldn't come up with a way to reply. There was so much I wanted to talk about, so much I wanted to ask. But, I couldn't bring myself to. This always happens with my meetings with L, I get flustered and never get to say anything or ask anything that I had originally wanted to. I guess it's because I look up to him so much, either that or the fact that he's not the easiest guy to talk to. He's so emotionless, very hard to read. So, due to my inability to start a conversation, we sat there a while before L brought up school. And that's where the conversation stayed. We talked about my grades and then he told me the areas where I needed improvement. He asked me how I was doing, if I needed any help, simple things like that.

Once the designated thirty minutes were up he escorted me out of the room. I so badly wanted to ask him what it was like, being a detective, what kind of work he was doing, when he was leaving. But for the umpteenth time I couldn't do it. I sighed, depressed, as I exited the small room. Glancing one last time into the room, as I did I swore I saw a flash of red. Blinking it was gone, nothing but the green couch. I shut the door and shook my head as it clicked. _Must have been my imagination._


	6. Tell me what's wrong!

The next day I woke up to find Matt's bed empty. Looking at my clock I realized why, it was 9:30, breakfast was half over. I had been up late last night, sulking over my meeting with L and now I was late. I hurriedly striped and jumped into a pair of black jeans. Throwing on a white T-shirt I ran out the door.

As I got my breakfast, which was a bowl of cocoa puffs, I looked around for Matt. He wasn't at our usual table and his vivid head of red hair wasn't visible. I sighed and sat; maybe he had already eaten and had gone to the lounge or something. I ate slowly despite his disappearance, if he was in the lounge I couldn't go get him anyway. _Stupid Roger._

As I was sitting there, sulking and stewing over my punishment from Sunday, Kinn, B and Paradox joined me.

"Hey Mello, where's Mattie-kins?" I glared at Kinn.

"Dunno"

"Oh, I was hoping he'd be with you, I wanted to give him a new game! It came out yesterday and I thought he might appreciate it." How she had gotten a hold of a new game that fast I wasn't sure, but I was now glad Matt wasn't here. I didn't need him getting baited by Kinn.

"Kinn, perhaps we should go find him. I have a bad feeling about all this." Oh right I haven't introduced you to Paradox. Despite the age difference, Paradox is 8, she is Kinn's one and only roommate. Her problem, since all Wammy kids seem to have one, is her paranoia. And she's pretty good at telling people about all the negative things that will come into their lives. She's always got a bad feeling about something, the bad part about that is that half the time, she's right. She's also crazy superstitious, there was this one time she saw a black cat on the lawn from her window. She went berserk, screaming and flailing around saying that she was going to die. It took Kinn a good 15 tubs of icing to get her to stop. Oh that's another thing; she loves icing just as much as I love chocolate. Despite her faults she's actually pretty nice, or at least she shares the chocolate icing with me.

"Dox you always have a bad feeling."

"No I don't! Kinn I'm being totally serious here."

"You're always serious!" Paradox pouted and dipped her hand into the plastic tub of icing in front of her. I grimaced; she could at least get a spoon.

"It's alright Dox, he'll be in class so I'll talk to him then okay." I reassured her but it didn't seem to help. She was about to say something, probably a warning of some sort, when the 'get to class' bell rang.

When I had told Paradox that I'd see him in class well… That's what I'd thought would happen. I mean we have all of our classes together and Matt doesn't seem like the person who would skip class. Then again I've only known him a week but still, my assessments of people tend to be correct. So when he didn't show I got a little anxious. And when he still wasn't seen second period I really started to think that little old Dox might have been right this time. What if something bad had happened to him? But, he could just be in the library or something, hiding away, trying to get out of homework he probably had yet to finish. My mind was racing between options as I entered the Math classroom. Sitting down he decided to enter the room. I almost sighed in relief but my powers of observation stopped me. There was something obviously wrong with Matt. His red hair was wet and his clothes were ruffled and a little torn. Normally his clothes were straight and clean. When I'd asked about it he'd replied with a 'don wanna look bad with all the fancy kids here' like he was trying to prove himself. There were also some dirt marks on his striped shirt. The sleeves were pulled down and he had them grasped in his gloved hands like he was afraid they would fly up so everyone could see his arms.

He sat down next to me and got out his book. That was also odd, he normally refrained from doing school work, he'd normally pull out his Game boy and refuse to even look at the board.

"Matt what the hell is wrong with you" I hissed at him as class began.

"It's nothing"

"Bull shit, you missed two classes, you're covered in dirt and you're doing the class work. Something is defiantly wrong."

"I'm serious Mello nothing is wrong, you're over reacting." He said turning to the board and breaking eye contact. That told me all I needed to know. When ever Matt lies he can't keep eye contact. It's a habit I guess but in this case a very helpful one.

"Look at me and tell me it's nothing Matt." He ignored me and continued scribbling down the notes on the board.

"Matt look at me." Again nothing. Fine, if he wasn't going to tell me I'd just have to find out on my own.

Matt avoided me the rest of the day. He sat at a different table at lunch, he didn't want to go to the library with me to get some reference material for the oncoming history project. He didn't even sit near me during the last classes of the day. Sure I'd only known him a week but we had grown really close in that short time. And now for some reason still unknown to me Matt was pulling away. I was suddenly reminded of why I'd vowed not to make friends. They betray you, move on and leave you behind. I'd felt that pang of loneliness and self hate before, I hadn't wanted to feel it again. I had been so sure that Matt wouldn't leave me; he was like a little puppy in my eyes. As long as you showed even a tiniest hint of love he'd follow you anywhere no matter how you treated him the rest of the time.

The thing was, I hadn't done anything. Or had I, was this actually all my fault and I simply didn't know it? Had I accidentally hurt him? I didn't think so, or at least I couldn't come up with anything I could have done.

I was currently sulking and contemplating in the dark of our shared room. Matt had decided to hide out in the lounge where I couldn't get him. Paradox had been right this time, something bad was happening. But I would get to the bottom of it.

I began the investigation with Kinn. It's not that she was my number one suspect, not at all. She'd been nothing but nice so far, it was much to early for any gags yet. Plus I don't remember giving her the chance to bribe Matt. No I began with her because of her ability to attain information. It's that whole manipulating thing, really come in handy for things like this. I found her in one of the music rooms playing the piano. It's something she does as a sort of hobby.

"Hey Kinn!" She stopped when she saw me come in and waved.

"Hey Mello, what's up, you need something." She got up and skipped over, today she was dressed in a grey sundress with a red fringe. Her socks were mismatched, one was orange and pink striped while the other one was green with bright purple spots which had a hole in it where her largest toe peeked out, visible due to her lack of shoes. I grimaced and stated my business. After I was done she looked like she was going to cry.

"Mello is actually asking me for help!" She looked so utterly happy that I wanted to gag.

"Are you going to help or stand there like a love sick school girl?"

"Huh oh right, so I just have to get information on what's up with Matt right? That won't be hard at all."

"Good meet me at dinner and you can tell me what you've learned, I'll find some form of payment alright"

"Ah Mello you know me well" She winked and skipped out the door.

Next on my list was B. Why him, well because one, it would make Kinn happy and two because he had access to the lounge which I didn't. I found him outside the kitchen with a fresh jar of strawberry jam.

"Mello" He waved a sticky hand in my direction.

"Hello B"

"Something wrong?"

"Actually yes, you see today Matt…" He nodded as I went through the events of the day.

"It's not like you to get involved with this sort of thing Mello."

"I know B, but he's my friend I've got to do something."

"Maybe Mello, you should let things play out, leave them alone and see what happens. If it were really something serious wouldn't Matt tell you?" I sighed, sometimes B just didn't understand.

"Please B, couldn't you help me out just this once?" I made my best puppy eyes at him and he let out a low, creepy, chuckle.

"Alright Mello, I don't have much else to do right now."

"Thank you!"

"So, what exactly do you want me to do?"

"Well actually I was wondering if you could go to the lounge, Matt's 'locked' himself in there. Could you go and just observe the other kids. I want to see if anyone's picking on him or something."

"Alright" B answered taking another scoop of jam and ramming it into his mouth. Licking his fingers he walked off in the direction of the lounge. Two down, one to go.

Now earlier on when I said I didn't really have anymore 'friends' well I guess that wasn't totally true. I mean Kinn, B, and Paradox are sort of like my gang. We hang out, talk, and help each other out every so often. It's sort of nice. Well anyway third on my list was little Miss Dox. We call her that cause she's so small. She was a bit harder to find than the others, she has several more 'hiding places' so it's understandable. Today she had chosen a dark corner in the lobby. Hidden behind a fake potted plant she was a little more than hard to spot. She jumped when I snuck around it.

"Mello!"

"Sorry Dox, didn't mean to surprise you" She huffed at that.

"Well now that you've thoroughly disturbed me, what do you want? Does it have to do with Matt? Because if it does the only thing I have to say is I told you so." I sighed; Paradox always knew what you wanted.

"Yeah"

"Ha, I knew it. And now you expect me to help you out don't you?"

"Well not expect, more like request your assistance?"

"Hmm, well I guess it depends." She looked thoughtfully at me.

"Well, I was wondering if you would follow Matt around, you're pretty good at it, being sneaky, staying hidden, that sort of thing." She contemplated a moment before nodding.

"Alright Mello, since you undoubtedly have Kinn and B raked up in this as well I guess I'll help out." She got up and shuffled out of the corner in search of the gamer. Dox scared me sometimes. She was just, creepy, with her uncanny way of knowing everything. Sometimes it surprised me that she was 8 years old especially with her way of talking, she always sounded so, mature I guess.

The four of us met up again in the cafeteria. Matt had once again chosen a different table to sit at. It was infuriating it really was, being utterly, ignored, neglected like this, I felt worthless. This was my drive though, I would find out what was wrong and I would fix it.

"Alright everyone, your reports." I ordered quietly over my piece of chocolate cake.

"Well he pretty much stayed in the lounge, afterwards he went up to your room, then came down to dinner."

"Hmm nothing unusual in that, thanks Dox's. B?"

"A few kids asked him if his hair was natural. Puma and Boylan were whispering in the back about something and they kept pointing at him. Other than that nothing except that Near finished 12 puzzles in 2 hours."

"B I don't care about Near, what were Puma and Boylan whispering about?"  
"I couldn't hear, isn't that why people whisper?"

"Alright fine, thank you B." There was a hint there; if Puma and Boylan were part of it then Matt was probably in trouble. Puma and Boylan are well, troublemakers. Not like me or Kinn, it's more like they boost their egos by picking on the new kids and the younger orphans. I sighed; you would think that after their run in with me they'd leave anyone even briefly associated with myself alone. Kinn's flailing arm drove me out of my thoughts.

"Pick me Mello! Pick me! I wanna talk too!" She waved her hands around above her head drawing the attention of several other kids at the surrounding tables. Rubbing my temples I told her to go ahead.

"Oh yay! You'll never guess what I found Mello!"

"I don't need to; you're going to tell me."

"Mhmm I am but, it's going to cost you."

"Doesn't everything?"

"hehe, alright Mello I'll tell you, you can pay me back later."

Authors note: Hahahah cliffy! Sorry about that. Anyway giant cookies and thank you's to all you reviewers. It's because of people like you that fanfics get written! The next chapter will be up soon, and after that me and MM have decided to write the story from Matt's POV so look out for that. The first chapter should be up soon -KF


	7. Rescue mission

Thursday August 10th was the day we made our move. The four of us met up under the stairwell after breakfast to discuss the plan once more before putting it into action. What was this plan? Well…..

"_hehe, alright Mello I'll tell you, you can pay me back later." Kinn smiled and began the tale of her discovery. _

"_So, whilst walking down the north wing hallway who else did I run into but Clip. That adorable little toddler had overheard some kids talking about something that had happened this morning."_

"_So? What happened this morning?"_

"_Puma happened"_

"_Geez Dox, you're ruining my build up." Kinn pouted._

"_Sorry but, Mello seems anxious."_

"_Wait you mean you knew Dox!?"_

"_Don't I always?"_

"_Well anyway, Puma happened."_

"_What'd you mean by that?"_

"_Mello, you know Damn well what Puma does." Kinn sighed._

"_Turns out Matt is his newest plaything."_

"_WHAT!?"_

"_Exactly what I said, Puma's chosen Matt as his newest form of enjoyment."_

"_But that doesn't explain why Matt is ignoring us, it should be the opposite, he should be running to us for help!"_

"_But Mello, it does explain why. I mean he's rooming with the boy who holds second place! Puma's indirectly using you against him!"_

"_But, but that's…"_

"_Wrong yes, Clip said that a few of the boys were talking about the fact that Matt hasn't fought back either."_

"_But why wouldn't he?"_

"_Mello, you've only known the boy a week, there's got to be circumstances you aren't aware of. Just like he doesn't fully know you, you don't fully know him. Does that make sense?"_

"_Yeah, but still." I sighed. _

"_But that doesn't matter right now, what does matter is that we get Puma and Boylan off Matt's back. Knowing them well, they'll keep this up till they get a reaction."_

"_True. Hey Kinn, did Clip tell you how far the torments have gone?"_

"_you saw him this morning right?"_

"_Yeah"_

"_They took him outside for two hours and beat him around a little then locked him outside." My expression was livid with anger by then, I could tell because Kinn actually scooted away. Those two Bastards were so going down._

"So everyone remember the plan?"

"Yep, I'm in charge of distracting"

"Following"

"Kidnapping" B smiled eerily.

"B it's not kidnapping it's rescuing"

"In this case it's the same thing, is it not?"

"And Mello gets the Ass kicking role correct?"

"Man, I wanted that job" Kinn crossed her arms as her lips sunk into a pout.

We caught Matt as he left Science; Paradox followed him towards Math where he suddenly turned down a different hall. Dox signaled us then; he was heading towards the auditorium. By the time he got there we were all in position. Kinn had placed herself in one of the auditorium seats, out of sight of course. Dox was hidden in one of the many dark corners of the dark audience area. I was behind the stage curtains and B well, I have no idea where he disappeared to. He has an unnatural ability to blend in with shadows.

It wasn't even 5 minutes before a group of four kids entered the room. Leading them was Puma. Puma is one of the upper classmen, he's 14 and huge. No one likes him though, which is why he beats the crap out of the younger kids and the Newbie's. It's just to boost his tiny little ego. The other two with him were around 10, I don't know their names though. Behind them was Boylan, he's Puma's one and only friend. Well maybe friend, he mostly uses Puma as protection since he's a scrawny wimp.

"Heh, the nerd showed."

"Course he did, he didn't want to face the consequences." Matt just stood there and stared at them.

"No Hello? No royal welcome, what is this!? Get down on your knees and bow to me you freak." Matt didn't move. I was starting to feel sick, watching the whole ordeal. I wanted to jump in, save Matt, kick their butts and get the hell away.

"Humph, not gonna get on your knees? You know the consequences for that! Or is it because you're to good for something like that? ANWSER ME!" Matt stood quietly not moving; I was beginning to wonder if he was still alive.

"I knew it, boys, you know the drill." That was when they approached him, one of them raised a fist.

"You worthless piece of shit! You think you're too good for anyone huh? Just cause the second place loser talks to you? That doesn't make you worth anything that makes you dirt beneath our feet!" Matt took the punch without as much as a whimper. The insults and the beatings continued for awhile before Kinn jumped in.

"Scuse me but could I inquire as to what it is that you are doing?" She smiled but the aura wafting off her gave it a totally different feeling. They stopped what they were doing immediately.

"K-k-kinn!!!"

"Hey there boys, so are you going to answer my question?"

"Well you see we were just trying to teach this kid his lesson, see he went parading through the older kid's area and ridiculed us."

"Mhmm, sure. That's not what I heard."

"B-but it's true."

"I though only staff could administer punishment."

"Well we...we had special permission."

"Oh, okay, well then please continue. I'm going to quick talk to Roger bye" She skipped off through the auditorium door. As it clicked closed the boys wiped the sweat off their forheads and turned back to the red head. Who wasn't there.

"Where'd he go?!"

"Find him, we haven't finished yet!"

This is where I get my big entrance. I jumped off the stage with a large thump, catching their attention.

"Sorry Kids but Matt isn't going to be back."

"M-M-Mello!!"

You should have seen the looks on their faces, Total agony, surprise and frustration. Boylan even fell down. Though I don't blame them after what I did.

Kinn was the mastermind behind that particular prank. I owed her for four dozen chocolate bars and boy did I pay. Not once but a few times. I hid their clothes while they were in the showers and locked their bedroom doors which forced them to run around Wammy's stark naked. Managed to frame them for stealing all of the children's breakfast which meant they didn't get breakfast or dinner for two weeks. Let's see oh I pushed them all down the stairs and blamed it on Boylan. And when they broke one of Near's toys, we were still friends at the time, I kicked their asses. There were a couple other things but they didn't really matter. All of that was going to be Childs play compared to this. Sure I'm only nine but with my athletic skills I'm one of the strongest kid's at Wammy's and that's not me being self centered.

They tried to get out of the auditorium but Kinn had locked it on her way out. B had taken Matt out backstage and Paradox, well I didn't have to worry about her. What I had to worry about was the four scared guys in front of me.

The fight lasted longer than it should have but, it was understandable four to one. I ended up with a broken nose, another black eye, a bloody lip and more than a few bruises. I'm not sure what condition they're in but I can tell you right now that it's far from pristine. I managed to knock out Boylan within four minutes of the fight. One strong punch to the side of his head was all it took. I broke one of the lackey's arms after he kicked me a few times. The other one had run off to hide somewhere, though I heard a scream from some corner of the auditorium at one point which could only mean that he'd found Dox's hiding place. Puma was a whole other story. It wasn't exactly a fair fight if you compare our sizes. Luckily Puma's not very fast so it was easier then it might have been.

I was currently sitting in Roger's office receiving a full blown lecture. Kinn was there too grimacing in one of the office chairs as Roger screamed at us. Spit was flying everywhere and I couldn't help but sink back into my chair trying to avoid it.

By the end of the whole thing Kinn was about ready to kill me.

"Mello, I don't get snack anymore." She smiled a little two happily.

"I'm not getting any chocolate either." She ignored me.

"You know what this means?"

"It's getting added to my tab?"

"It's getting added to your tab." _I knew it._

Kinn sulked back to her room after that, undoubtedly to cry and complain to Paradox. I returned to my room as well. Waiting for my return was B and Matt.

"Hey." Matt looked up solemnly as I walked through the door.

"Hey" There was an awkward silence after that, well if you can call jam slurping a silence. Eventually I couldn't take it anymore.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?!" I yelled taking Matt by surprise.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about what just happened in the auditorium!"  
"Oh, you saw that?" He sounded timid, almost scared.

"Yes! Wait B did you not tell him anything?"

"I figured you'd want to explain." I sighed and turned back to Matt.

"Well you were acting all weird so I decided to investigate."

"Oh…Is that how you got the black eye?"

"You bet'cha." I sent him a crooked smile but it didn't last long.

"Sorry."

"What?"

"Sorry, I didn't want you to get involved; you're in enough trouble as is."

"After that fight with Puma, you better believe I am"

"Sorry"

"Stop apologizing."

"Ah, yeah, Sorry."

"Matt" He looked up at me, his goggles were drawn down below his chin and his bright green eyes were visible. He looked like he was going to cry.

"It's okay; I mean that's what friends are for right? But, moving on, are you going to tell me why?"

"Why what?"

"Why everything, why you didn't tell me, or anyone. Why you didn't fight back. Why?" I pleaded.

"Well uh I was just raised that way." This surprised me. I had figured it had to do with his past but, the way he was raised? Who raises their Kid like that?

"Can you keep a secret?" I nodded vigorously.

"Alright, then I'll trust you with one."

Authors note: Another chapter is up! Woot!! I'm actually not to happy with this chapter. I wrote it really quick… I'm going to revise it a little later but after I finish the next chapter, I've already got it started so yeah… Please Rate and Review


	8. Story time, the telling of the past

"I guess I'll start at the beginning. Three years ago my younger sister, Kennedy, was killed in a car accident. She had been walking home from school when a car swerved off the road and hit her. She died ten days later in the hospital. She was only four, my parents were supposed to pick her up from kindergarten but they had been stuck in traffic so they were running late. Because of that fact they felt well, responsible for the whole thing. The funny thing about guilt is that no one ever wants to bear it. So they chose not to. Instead they pushed the blame on me. I was only five at the time so I was easily influenced by their words. I don't remember half of the excuses they came up with for me. Things like you didn't go pick her up and other illogical reasons. But I sucked them up like a sponge. Pretty soon everything was my fault. My father didn't get a promotion so it was m fault for always getting in the way. There wasn't any milk in the fridge because I drank too much of it. Mom forgot to water her garden and the plants died because I was taking a bath. Things like that; anything I did was a reason for them to blame me for their problems. With things going bad at work my father started drinking. He'd drink every evening on his way home so that when he actually came home he was in a drunken state. If he found me while in that state of mind I'd get a beating. The first few times I cried out for help and tried to run away. Mom never helped though, she would just stand and watch the whole ordeal. I think she sort of, broke, when Kennedy died which I can understand I guess. I mean losing your daughter before she could even add 2 plus 2 is sad. Whenever I tried to run away dad would beat me even worse so eventually I stopped trying. If I didn't resist the punishment went much faster. But that wasn't the worst part. I can handle being beaten physical pain is pretty mild actually. After he was done he'd throw me aside and head to bed. When he was gone my mother would approach me. She'd lift my broken body off the ground and begin the process of tearing apart my soul. She said some of the worst things, and listening to them I knew. I knew that everything was my fault, that had I not been born the world would be peaceful, hell even wars were my fault." He sounded mad, not at me but at himself.

"But Matt that's, that's stupid! You can't be responsible for everything!"

"Mells, when you're five years old and the mother who loved you is telling you things like this you start to believe." The anger was gone from his voice now, in its place was a sort of bottomless sadness.

"I'm so sorry."

"So am I. Well a year after Kennedys death my parents joined her. I had just woken up, my mom was in the kitchen and my dad was still passed out from drinking the night before. Next thing I knew the kitchen was in flames. I snuck out, unseen, before it got too big. After the successful escape I ran. And as I did my parents were incinerated with the rest of the house. Their death was just another ounce of guilt on my shoulders. After that I was taken in by some old family friends, the Bright family. Ironic name isn't it? I didn't once see any sunlight while I was there. They kept me locked in the living room and would keep the blinds shut and the doors closed. I didn't know it at the time but I had been said to have died in the fire as well. They were horrible people; I hadn't been expecting nice people though. Having known them for years I knew what they were like. They had known I was being beaten and hadn't told authorities and then they hadn't reported that I was alive." He sighed as though all the happiness was gone from his life. He was being much to morbid and it was starting to scare me.

"You know that day last week; you caught me on the library computer? You were wondering what I was looking for right?" I nodded weakly.

"Well I was trying to find proof of my existence; turns out I even have a death certificate. My grave is in South Haven Michigan right next to my parents. They buried an empty casket." I was speechless, I knew my past wasn't pleasant but wasn't this a bit much.

"There's more though. The Bright's found out that I had the skills of an elite Hacker. I'd been doing it for a while actually. I'd often steal money for my dad's booze. And since I had to buy the groceries with my own money I needed the cash. When they found out they immediately put me to work." He seemed angry again, I backed away a little as realization hit me.

_That explains the dream!_

"I'd do all sorts of jobs. Sometimes I'd hack into other people's bank accounts and transfer the money, though most of the time I was doing jobs for other people. They'd visit the house tell Mr. Bright what they wanted done, I'd do the job, and the family would get the money. I protested at first but they knew my parents methods, they'd threaten me with punishments gaining a sort of control over me. Eventually I ran away, broke the window and ran as fast as I could. I lived on the streets for awhile but I'd taken my cell phone with me so I got tracked down. Not by the Brights but by Mr. Wammy. He said he'd been watching me for awhile from a camera across the street and wanted me to come to the orphanage. And so here I am roommates with the fearsome Mello who is….crying?" Now that he mentioned it I _was_ crying.

"N-no he's not" I protested rubbing my eyes. Matt hugged me.

"I'm sorry Mells! I didn't think you'd cry!"

"I'm not crying idiot, I got some dust in my eye!"

"That's what they all say."

"And aren't you awful happy all of a sudden!"

"I am!" he sat back releasing me from his hold.

"What the heck?!"

"I dunno, I just feel…lighter now that I've told someone."

"You're so weird." I smiled at him; the small stream of salty tears had stopped now.

"You better believe it!" There was a grotesque slurping noise from the bed across from us as B finished his jar of Jam.

"B that's gross!" He looked up at me.

"Sorry were you two saying something?" I scowled.

"No, never mind. Why are you here anyway?"

"Well I was just seeing my job through. You told me to kidnap Matt and bring him back here correct?"

"Kidnap?! Mello you're kidnapping me." Matt made a dramatic pose but didn't hold it very long due to the string of laughs that came out.

"No, we were rescuing you."

"Mhmm" He looked skeptical but, continued laughing.

The three of us chatted a little while after Matt finally stopped laughing. Kinn came and fetched us before lunch.

"Kinn you look like a-a-a ZOMBIE!" Matt squealed. I smiled I hadn't scene Matt this happy…ever. Maybe getting his past of his chest really was doing him some good. Maybe it wouldn't be bad for me either. I contemplated the matter a little before shaking it off. My past was nothing compared to Matt's. I wasn't looking for pity either so perhaps I'd leave it a secret for awhile longer.

"You want to see a Zombie?" Kinn said almost angrily before chasing Matt down the hall.

"MELLSSSS SSSAAAVVEEE MEEEE!!!! IIII DOOONNNN"TT WAANNNAAA BEEEEE EAATTEENNN!" I broke down in laughter as they raced down to the cafeteria.

Authors note: Sorry for the short chapter! I wanted to quickly get Matt's past up though since both MM and I will be away for a week. This means that the story will not get updated for awhile. We fully intend on working on it during our trip though! This chapter might get a little more uh 'meat' in the future. I hope it surprised a few of you. MM is currently working on this same story from Matt's point of view so that should be up when we get back. Sorry if it's not very detailed or anything. Forgive me? And please R&R!

-KF


	9. Midterm disaster! and a peaceful end?

MIDTERM DISASTER And a peaceful conclusion

A month has passed since then and summer has morphed into fall, the leaves beginning to take on the red and orange tints that mark the season. The day was Sunday September 17th and I was currently studying my 8 year old brains out. Why? One might ask, was I studying so feverously? Why? Simple, midterms were tomorrow. I know, midterms in September? The only explanation I have is a single word, Wammy's.

This orphanage is doing everything it can to be an oddity to the rest of the world. Sure we learn the same material as your average public school, but at a much faster rate. We make friends, and sabotage one another for placement. We have mandatory breaks such as holidays, which are spent studying. And we have regulated tests, just three times as often as your average public school…. This proves my point. Wammy's is nothing like your average school. I mean a house full of mentally scarred, traumatized, genius freaks is going to be a little bit different.

Back to midterms, at least that's what they call them, though the name doesn't quite fit in this case. Midterms are normally a set of standardized tests taken in the middle of a school term, hence the obvious name, midterm. Here we are given midterms five times a year at random, sort of like fire drills with a two week notice. They are given to test our skills and set placements on the L 'runner up' list. If course the top two slots haven't changed in three years. Near as first and me as second. So why was I studying my brains out? I was going to make sure this term was different, this year I would reverse the roles. This year I was going to beat Near!

CRASH!!!

"Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelllllllllllllllllllllllllllllooooooooooooooooooooooooo"

"WHAT THE HELL MATT?!!!?" I was lying on the floor, my desk chair beside me and my review papers scattered across the floor. The cause? My one and only roommate; Matt.

"I'm bored." The red head whined from his spot above me. He was kneeling next to my head looking down at me.

"Then play one of your stupid games! I don't have time to play with you!"

"You're no fun" He pouted giving me his best puppy dog eyes. I shook my head to make sure I didn't fall for them. They were easy to fall for, he'd open his eyes real wide and they'd get all watery, like he was gonna cry. A lopsided pout would complete the look, making him look like a cute, hungry, puppy begging for the bone of chicken you'd just finished eating.

"No"

To tell you the truth Matt hates it when I study. He hasn't said it outright but he can be pretty easy to read. He doesn't like not having the attention on him or something. Well or course I can't pay attention to him, not with tests coming so soon. It defeats the purpose.

"But Mells…You've been studying four at least six hours straight now, you even skipped lunch!"

"Matt it's okay"

"No it's not, you did this yesterday and the day before that…Ever since you heard about midterms all you've done is study, study, study! You need to take a break."

"No Matt what I need to do is ace these tests, now will you please be quiet so I can keep preparing?!" By now I had righted my seat and was arranging my papers on the desk, pulling out a chocolate bar I got back to work. Matt sighed, defeated as he left the room.

The tests were relatively easy, though Matt seemed to think not.

"Ugh, those were the worst." He flopped onto his respective bed sighing.

"If you had actually studied then you wouldn't have had any problems."

"Smartass" He mumbled just loud enough for me to hear him.

"You really should try opening one of your text books."

"Uh-no, with my attention span…I'd read the first page and well, wouldn't get any farther."

"I don't get how you can have such A.D.D. and still be able to play those games with out breaking a sweat of concentration."

"Games are easy to focus on…"

"And text book aren't?"

"No, their boring."

"…" He had sat up now and was staring me straight in the eyes, like he was daring me to counter that one. I decided to let it slide.

"So, now that you're done with your study fest, can we go play?" He looked hopeful like a little kid on their birthday. I sighed.

"Sure"

We'd found our way down to the lounge, Matt wanted to try out some two player racing games though I was set against it.

"Why not Mells?"

"I'm no good at video games." I admitted quietly, lowering my head. He already knew that I was video game illiterate but he was still set on getting me to play. He'd always say you can only improve.

"Aw come on! Doesn't matter, you won't get any better avoiding them so let's get you practicing!"

"Matttttt!" He dragged me across the lounge floor towards the game systems.

"Just this once?" He gave me his puppy dog eyes, wide, green, and glistening.

"Alright, but just once." I owed him anyway for ignoring him for two weeks.

We played for a good two hours, the score ending with Matt 32 Me 4. I think he let me win those, so I wouldn't get mad at him.

After we finished Matt went up to the dorm, he was going to take a quick shower then play pokemon or something. I decided I'd make a quick run to the kitchens for some chocolate then head back upstairs. The placements were supposed to be up by eight so I'd check them out before heading to bed. My kitchen run went well and at 7:58 I was walking up the stairwell to the dorms with eight chocolate bars stashed on my person.

7:59 I was a flight of stairs away from the board. I could see a bright pink pair of heels, accompanied by a mismatched pair of socks. _Kinn_. Next to her were the baggy bottoms of overlarge jeans. _Paradox. _A pair of shoeless feet completed the trio. _B._

8:00 I'd reached the three each, well except B, with a stunned expression on their face. The board had just been posted. Stepping from the last step onto the landing I looked up, searching the top for my name. As always Near was first, I cursed under my breath. Kinn heard me and immediately tried to cover my eyes. _What the hell?!_ I escaped her grasp and looked up again, right above my name was Matt's. Matt had beaten me. Matt had taken my spot. Just as that white haired freak had done. I ran back down the stairs and down the corridor to our room. Opening the door I found the traitor on my bed soundly playing his game with out a care in the world.

"MATT!"

The end…

Jk jk jk jk

No please don't kill me!

He jumped a foot high in the sky when he heard me yell like that. And the look on his face should have told me to stop right then and there, but I didn't, of course I didn't. I was Mello, number two, on the top of all of the kids at Wammy's. I was Mello, the strongest boy in that school, who had taken any boy who had picked on him and had ripped him to shreds. I was Mello, the exact opposite of my name, I was anything but Mello and yet that is exactly what I was. I was Mello, the lonely little boy sitting solemnly at an empty lunch table. I was Mello the boy who made no friends, the boy who hung out with the most unsocial. Mello who…who…destroyed everything he had, everything he dreamed of, everything he could ever want, with his own bare hands.

"Hey, Mells" Matt replied settling down, or at least he started to, he didn't get the chance to fully recover though because I charged at him.

"I trusted you!? You, I thought you were my friend!?? WHY MATT?! WHY'D YA DO IT?!!!" My hands had grabbed his collar and had forced him against the wall, part of his back digging into the window sill; he flinched in pain and surprise.

"Mell's I don't know what you're talking about!" His game had fallen out of his hands and now lay discarded on the floor, the screen black and a large crack covering running across it.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT. I'M NOT MELLS I'M MELLO!! M-E-L-L-O, GOT IT PUNK?! AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW?! OF COURSE YOU KNOW, YOU KNEW ALL ALONG!!!" Matt's face paled.

"I don't know Mells I really don't know! Please let me go, let's talk thi-"

SLAP

"I told you not to call me that." My voice was calm but I knew something was wrong, terribly wrong. Matt didn't answer, a distant look clouded his eyes.

"You did it on purpose didn't you? You and Near, you were in it together weren't you? You just want to bring me down, the entire world does! But why? Why is it always the people I trust, the people I care about?! Why?!" I slapped him again, trying to get a reaction, but there was none, just that distant look. I couldn't stand it. How could he do it, be tortured by someone he thought was his friend! I certainly couldn't, I wanted him to slap me back, for him to fight, for him to yell out that it was and accident, that he hadn't meant it, that I was more important.

The next hit I threw was a punch, straight to his jaw. Again no response. It was frustrating, why didn't he punch back!

"WHY!?!?!" I shook him back and forth, his head hitting the wall repeatedly as I did so.

"WHY WON'T YOU TELL ME!? WHY DID YOU DO IT?!" I hit him again, tears streaming down my face, blurring my vision so that his own tears were invisible to me.

"WHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"I'm sorry" It was quiet; nearly a whisper, but I heard it.

"I'm so sorry…Dad."

I immediately realized what I had done. What I had awoken; made him remember. What I had promised I'd protect him from. I backed away quickly, as though he was a monster; I was terrified of what I had done. I fell onto the hard wood floor, and jumped up as fast as I could. Bursting out of our dormitory room I saw Kinn, Paradox and B. I stumbled to them, my mind numb and vision a blur.

"h—p"

"What Mello? Hey are you okay?"

"Help"

"Help? Help what?"

"You- you gotta help Matt!"

As soon as the words left my mouth I ran. I ran all the way to the 1st floor and out the first exit I saw.

I ran out and ended up in front of Wammy's. I didn't want to be there though and ran around to the back, where there were more tree's and bushes I could hide in. I couldn't go back to my room, not while Matt was still there. Not after what I did.

I ran behind some bushes and sat on the ground, my knee's pulled up to my chest, my arms wrapped around my legs and my forehead resting on my knee's as I cried.

"I'm sorry Matty. I'm so sorry." I whispered to no one while the tears ran down my cheeks. Closing my eyes I continued to cry and mutter apologies for what I had done to Matt.

After what seemed like hours I had exhausted myself and fell into a restless sleep.

Shortly after falling asleep I was awoken by the rustling of leaves and the breaking of twigs behind me. Lifting my head from my knee's I looked over my shoulder, half hoping it would be a bear come to tear me apart for what I'd done.

I looked over and saw Paradox standing right behind me.

"Kinn sent me to find you." She said in her monotone voice.

"How's Matt?" Matt was all I cared about at the moment.

"Erm, he's-" She stopped, worry showing on her face. She closed her eyes and took a breath before continuing.

_Paradox showing some emotions; must be serious._ I thought to myself.

"We haven't been able to get him to respond to anything. He's just been slumped against the wall saying 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It was my fault. I'm sorry. Please Dad, I'm sorry.' He won't say anything else. We think you should come back and try to get something out of him." When she finished she opened her eyes and locked her eyes on mine, as if she could see into my soul. Her eyes had gone back to dull and un-uncaring, along with her voice and all her features. No longer did she seem worried or as if she cared.

"Alright, I'll come." I muttered and got up off the ground to follow Paradox back to the house.

"Good." Was her monotonous response.

I stood outside my room, looking through the door. From here I could clearly see B standing next to Matt, Kinn kneeling in front of him trying to get his attention, and Paradox sitting on my bed watching. I was afraid to go in. Afraid of what would happen when he saw me, if he saw me.

What if he was forever afraid of me? What if he hated me? What if -

"Mello." Kinn's voice came from the room, snapping me out of my thoughts

"Come here and try to talk to him." She insisted.

"R-right." I said and cautiously made my way into the room.

Kinn had moved over to the side so I could sit in front of Matt. I looked him in the face and said softly but firmly:

"Matt?"

At this his eyes moved to focus on my own. I watched as tears began to roll down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I won't do it again, I promise. Please don't -"

"No Matt. You didn't do anything wrong its okay." I cut him off softly.

I'm pretty sure that's what did it. He snapped. Right there in front of us. He broke down and cried. Flinging himself at me and wrapping his arms around my neck causing us both to fall backwards.

"Ah-ha, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He cried, burying his face in the space where my neck and shoulder connect.

"It's alright, Matty. I'm sorry. No ones going to hurt you I promise." I whispered softly in his ear.

It was nearly midnight when Matt had finally quieted down and fell asleep in my arms. Kinn, Paradox and B were still in our room. I motioned for B to come closer and get Matt off me. We were still on the floor, after all.

B gently lift Matt off me and took him over to his bed where he set him down, careful not to wake him. As we sat in silence, Kinn against the wall, B was standing by the end of Matt's bed, Paradox staring at Matt while sitting on my bed and me, still sitting on the floor. Kinn was the first to move, getting up and walking over to Paradox who looked up, her expression void of all emotion. B was the next to move, he walked over to Paradox and lifted her off the bed and set her on the floor, where she just stared at the ground, it was slightly creepy. After that Kinn walked over to Paradox and grabbed one of her pale little hands. She looked over at me and said quietly "Goodnight Mello" before leading Paradox out of the room, B close behind.

When they closed the door I jumped to my feet when I heard a whimper from he Matt's bed. Looking over I saw that his arms were flailing slightly. Worried about my friend I went over to him and crawled up onto his bed and lay next to him, wrapping both my arms around him while whispering "its okay." A few moments later, Matt stopped moving and fell asleep. It was only a few minutes before the gamer was asleep, and I too relaxed into the warmth of unconsciousness.

Authors note: So, I would like to apologize for taking so long to update. For some reason, after returning from string camp, I have found myself with little time to write and little inspiration. I have a list of excuses but personally it's a bunch of BS that you all don't want to hear. So I apologize again for the seriously late update. I hope this makes up for it? And no it's not the last chapter no way…not that anyone was thinking that….just the chapter name might give the wrong idea… You can thank MM for the fabulous ending to this chapter, My train of thought/ inspiration had crashed and there were no survivors so she took over completely for the very end. Well that's all for now folks. I'll try to get the next update up sooner….But I won't make any promises…especially ones I don't know I can keep. -KF


	10. Forgive me

The entire time I slept that night I didn't once have a dream or a nightmare. Not that they are a regular occurring thing for me it's just normally when something bed happens it tends to bring back memories I keep thinking I've forgotten. Instead of images of snow covered streets I saw nothing and felt only a welcoming warmth.

I awoke the next morning to the sun braking through the cracked blinds covering the floor with a pattern that reminded me of prison bars. I blinked wearily and rolled out of bed, or attempted to but seeing as Matt had decided to smother my arm it was rather difficult. Tear streaks were still visible on his angelically peaceful face. I carefully removed my limb from under his slumbering form and walked to the wash room. I turned the water on scalding hot and stripped. Stepping into the seeming shower I winced as the water burned my skin. I reached to turn the temperature down when a thought struck me. _Tear streaks? Why would he have been cry-_ the events from the previous evening flashed through my mind, they had slipped into the back of my memory while I had slept in peaceful comfort.

Reliving the memory I felt my legs grow week. My hands were shaking as I brought them up to my face. Burying my head in them I sunk, to weak to stand, to the shower floor where I sat for what seemed like hours. My skin now raw and numb so I could no longer differentiate between hot and cold. The water droplets falling consistently from the metal showerhead effectively hiding the silent tears that streamed down my cheeks.

"Mello where have you been?" It was lunch time, seems that what had felt like hours, for once, had been. Kinn was yelling at me, her tone soaked in concern and yet I found the chatter obnoxious and at the same time depressing. What right did I have to be mothered over? At the moment I could find none. Turning to Kinn I grimly told her to "shut the hell up" and left the lunch room and a confused and worried looking brunette. I didn't want her worrying about me and right then I wanted nothing more than to be left alone, well, more like I felt like I _should_ be alone. As the bell rang for class I slipped into the deserted Lounge. I would have gone the class but I didn't want to see Matt's face, not yet, not till I was ready to face him and the consequences for my violence. Slinking to the back corner I crawled onto the large green couch. Sinking into a corner I pulled my knees up to my chest and hugged them close. Doing so made me realize how small I was, how insignificant my existence was. The couch was five times as big as me and I shrunk further into it. I was so useless, so small, so stupid. I couldn't keep a friend for more than a month without an 'incident' happening. Maybe this was some sort of divine message from god telling me that I was "meant to be alone" Mello the loner. I guess it had a nice ring to it. Yeah, I guess. Thinking about it I felt a tear slide down my cheek.

Damn I was crying a lot today, I didn't think I had the ability to cry at all so, after those three hours of crying in the shower, I was certain I would have cried so much that I'd die of dehydration. Guess not. I hastily wiped the salty drop of my cheek. Damn I was being such a wuss, such a girl, only girls cry, guys don't cry, were tough, unbreakable, or so I though. But, here I was crying my brains out all because I'd punched a kid. Just thinking that made me want to cry more. Who the hell was I kidding? Certainly not myself, and I doubt the rest of the world would buy it either. Just a kid? That 'kid' was the first actually friend I'd had in years. We'd gotten detention together, terrorized Roger as a team, beaten up the bullies, stolen goodie, run off downtown, played, got lectured, hell it felt like I'd known the kid my entire life and the though of him never speaking to me, never smiling at me, nearly tore me apart.

This was not just 'some kid'! This was Matt. Matt, the boy who had trusted me enough to share his past with me. Matt, the gamer who could kick anyone's ass even if he was new to the game. Matt, the expert hacker who could break even Wammys shielding firewalls. Matt, the boy who had befriended the schools biggest jerk, and had broken his protective shell. Matt, my best friend, the only boy heck, person I could be myself around. That was Matt, the boy I had held so dear, had trusted so much and who I had broken all bonds with, with a single blow, knowing that, hurt so much.

I stayed there, curled in a tight ball in the nook of the couch, until the last bell rang. I knew I'd have to vacate soon to avoid the masses that would soon arrive. I snuck carefully out to the courtyard, a small space behind the school with a few picnic tables and a circle of shade providing trees. I guess you could say I was running away, avoiding the consequences that were to follow my actions. In other words I was being a coward. I was keeping the small speck of hope I had alive. Hope that Matt would forgive me, and that maybe with his forgiveness, I could forgive myself. Taking a deep breath I cleared my mind. There had to be a way to get through this. There had to be a way to do it and not lose the most important thing that had come into my life. There just had to be!

I sat there for a long time, my skin grown numb from the chill of the evening air. Dinner was passed and my stomach continued to growl loudly in protest to my skipping it. The sun was making its way below the horizon when I decided that I would head in. Maybe I could camp out in B's room today. I wasn't ready to face Matt; I still couldn't come up with a scenario in which he would stay with me, like the whole thing had never happened. Opening the front door I was greeted with a vicious slap to my face. It stung like hell and nearly knocked me over.

"Mello." The calm voice was familiar but different from its normal everyday form. It was laced with a bitter almost hate filled undertone that made me shiver.

"Kinn?"

"Where the HELL have you been." I winced at the tone with which she spoke.

"Courtyard."

"Why weren't you in class?"

"Didn't wanna go."

"You skipped dinner."

"Not hungry"

"What happened this morning?"

"Fell asleep in the shower."

"And lunch"

"I was tired and you were irritating me." What was this, an interrogation!?

She slapped me again then and I staggered back from the force. Had Kinn always been this violent? Not that I could recall.

" DAMN IT MELLO STOP WALLOWING IN YOUR FUCKING SELF PITY!" She screamed in my face. She was serious, Kinn never swears, Kinn never gets violent, Kinn never yells. This was a side of Kinn I had never seen and a side of her I found I feared. There was a murderous gleam in her eyes and it terrified me. This wasn't the Kinn I knew. What also scared me was how easily she could read me. Just from asking a few questions she knew exactly what was wrong, not that it was hard to figure out but still. I knew she was right, I was drowning in self-loathing and pity. I knew that ignoring the problem would make it worse not make it evaporate into the air I breathe. I knew that unless I did something the problem would remain unsolved and Matt would never be my friend again. She opened her mouth to continue but I already knew what she was going to say. So I decided to do something, anything, if it might solve the problem.

I literally sprinted up to our dorm. I knew matt would be there, sitting on his bed, his legs crossed and goggles up around his eyes. I slammed the wood door open and was greeted by a mass of red.

"M-Mello?" I couldn't find the words to answer, the energy to respond. And upon seeing the cracked Game boy in his gloved hands I couldn't even make eye contact.

"Mello, Oh thank god!" His response to my appearance surprised me and I nearly keeled over when he tackled me, wrapping his stripped arms around me in a warm hug.

"I was so worried you'd left, or that you'd gotten kidnapped, or that Kinn was holding you hostage…or, or that." His voice cracked and his eyes had a gleam in them that clearly showed how close he was to breaking out in tears.

"I, well, they made a mistake in the add-ups Mells! It's alright, you're still second!" I seriously thought my heart stopped from surprise and grief. The day had gone from bad to worse, I'd beaten up Matt, and now I'd beaten him up for a mistake he didn't have anything to do with.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Mattie!" I was sobbing now; the only thing keeping me from crumbling to the hard wood floor was Matt's scrawny arms. He let me lean on him and patted and rubbed my back reassuringly as cries racked my body. He had forgiven me, probably without a thought about it.

"Hey Mells?" He asked after my cries had calmed down to steaks of salty residue and mucous.

"Yeah" I sniffed.

"Uh…well, Thank you."

"What the hell for?!" I had done nothing but torment him, nothing worthy of thanks but many worthy of remorse and hate.

"For saying what I needed to hear, what I've wished someone would one day tell me but that I feared would never be uttered. Thank you for telling me that it wasn't my fault and for staying by my side. Thanks you for letting me know I'm needed, and that someone cares. Thank you Mello, for being my friend." A gentle smile was painted on his pale face the last rays of day light seeping in through the partially closed plastic blinds, making him look like he was glowing. From my spot in his arms he looked like nothing less then an angel. My angel, my guardian angel, telling me that I wasn't alone and never again would be. I slumped to the floor my head in my hands, blond locks covering the new tears that streamed down my face. Tears of relief, of happiness, of thanks, and of forgiveness.

Author Note- I am going to stop here, I apologize for the late update and for the shortness of this chapter. I was going to continue it but I felt like then I would have drawn the whole thing out to long making it boring and repetitive. Oh and sorry to Mello for failing on your Emoness… For some reason I couldn't get a super depressed Mello to come forth I guess. So yeah…. I'm not sure about how often I'll get to update cause of school but I've been trying to get it done in the little spare time I have. Thank you to all those who have stuck with and supported us thus far!!! We can't express how much we appreciate it. I'd give you all boxes of cookies if I could. Unfortunately they have yet to come out with the kind that can be sent by E-Mail and stuffing the cookies into your CPU does not work Trust me. -KF


	11. Plotting, hacking, and snacks part 1

Wammy days chapter 11

Plotting, hacking, and snacks

The opening bit is not written from anyone's point of view…then it switches to Mello's….sorry for the possible confusion.

It was the in early hours of the day, before the sun had begun to rise, that two shadow figures met in front of the playroom. The rest of the Orphanage was sleeping; children all snuggled in their beds, completely lost in their dream worlds. The small whispers of the shadowy pair could barely be heard over the draft that whistled its way through the hallway.  
"We have to act soon; I'm running out of time, L's next visit is in two months…we need to be ready to move by then. We have to…" The low, female voice was cut off by a finger to her lips.  
"Kassidy, it's alright. We'll be ready for L when he gets here. We have the plan all laid out, we just have to test those two to see if they're up for the task." This second voice was deeper, almost raspy, and most certainly male. His figure drew hers close in an embrace. "I promise, it will be alright, you have a strategy to test them, and they will do just fine. Now, you need to sleep. I'll walk you back to your room."

She nodded, and the pair slowly retreated down the moonlit hall, their shadows stretching into the light, the soft click of heels on concrete fading into the night as they disappeared into black.

Hacking and Snacks

I awoke that morning to the bright face of Matt.  
"Good morning sleepy head!" He said tousling my hair as I sleepily rubbed at my eyes.  
"Were you watching me sleep?" I eyed him suspiciously and he broke out in a giggle.  
"Mello, Mello, Mello…the minute you open your eyes your entire being becomes such a hypocrisy! You look so nice and calm when you're sleeping, but upon waking up you can't even trouble yourself with a common greeting!" He sighed "I'm hurt Mells, I really am." He got up and sat on his bed, looking wretchedly dejected and pitiful, and the goggles hanging from his neck didn't help.

"Ugh!" I exclaimed, pulling myself out of bed. I strode across the room to stand before him. "Good morning Matt." I responded, those damn puppy eyes would always, always, ALWAYS, get the better of me damn-it. The worst thing about that was that he knew it now. It had been a while since the disaster during midterms, and I'd been dedicated to making it up to him, even though he didn't think there was anything that I needed to make up for. However, during this experience he realized that if he took off his goggles, looked me in the eye and pouted ever so slightly, he could get just about anything from me. Recently he'd been using it often in order to get me to greet him, mostly with good mornings and good nights. He smiled real big in response then picked up one of his games, "Want to go to breakfast with me?" He asked as the gentle hum of Zelda filled the space around us.  
"Depends, what's on the menu?"  
"Eggs, Hash, Toast, the usual ya know?"  
"Gross…cant' they have chocolate eggs or something…Why couldn't it be a pancake day, I like pancake days." Just thinking about chocolate was making my mouth water.  
"Mells, that's gross…you really need to do something about this fetish of yours. You're gonna get real fat one of these days, and I'm going to laugh." His face was still pressed against his game, fingers lightly clicking against buttons.  
"Yeah, and playing all those video games is definitely better…at least the chocolate isn't melting all my brain cells."  
He pouted a bit at that comment, but decided not to fight it. He could tell that I wasn't in the best of moods I guess. I rubbed his head, messing his hair up.  
"It's true, but I'm gonna go take a shower alright? Afterwards we can go down and get food, so make sure that the game is off when I get back!"  
He nodded lightly in response, but I could see the small smile that had cracked across his lips.

Breakfast, as expected, was scrambled eggs, burnt toast, and undercooked hash browns. Needless to say, I avoided the hot food like hell, and instead settled with a bowl of coco puffs. Our usual table was unnaturally empty. Since Matt's arrival I had grown more used to the loud company of Kinn, and the small, not nearly as loud company, of Paradox and B during meals…though B didn't frequent the cafeteria often, opting instead to eat Jam and overly sweetened coffee in his room alone. However, where there was a Kinn there was often a little white haired Dox toddling behind. The pair was nearly inseparable, and when not in each other's company they seemed to have an uncanny way of knowing precisely where the other was (unless Dox was purposefully hiding from Kinn, and was so well hidden that I think she herself sometimes didn't know where she was.) The large, round, empty table was beginning to make me feel small. However, before I could suggest that we move to a smaller table, Matt voiced my previous wonderings.

"Where in the world is Kinn and Dox? They don't usually miss food time, well at least Kinn doesn't…Dox just follows her. I hope they aren't up to something. I can't stand it when they plot things without us." The last bit of his sentence was said in a joking matter, but it was exactly what I was afraid of. He picked at his food a bit.

"I'd actually prefer that they left me out of their evil plotting." I responded, mouth half full of chocolate puffs. Matt grimaced at the lovely display of chewed food. "Still, I get the most terrible chills thinking that I don't know what they're up to. Just because they don't include me in the discussions doesn't mean I'm not part of the plan." I turned to Matt who was still picking at his food.

"True, we could always find B. He always knows where Kinn is. Or clip, since she's Kinn's informant." The red head suggested casually.

" Nah, I'd rather not be caught conversing with toddlers, even if they are genius toddlers." I began, "and B wouldn't be likely to tell us even if he knew. We'll just have to wait until she comes asking for payment." I shoved another spoonful of, now soggy, cereal into my mouth. Matt chuckled.

"Guess so! Since we aren't going to be preoccupied with plotting to take over the world with Kinn, how'd you like to hang out in the lounge! You aren't banned any more, soooooo." He looked at me expectantly with those large, goggle hidden eyes.

"You look ridiculous wearing those inside," I commented, trying to avoid the question.

"Don't care. You gave 'em to me, so you shouldn't call them names. But, you should come hang out! You haven't done anything with me lately, you're always too busy studying your brains out." He pouted, crossing his arms.

"I _have_ to study."

"You don't _have _to do anything. You _want_ to study, but you _should_ take a break every once and a while, and hang out with your friends."

I sighed, he was right, I hadn't been spending much time with him. After that whole midterm mess I was determined to never, ever fall in ranking. I might end up hurting someone else I cared about.

"Good morning" Came a soft, but sudden, interruption. "Mello, have you seen Kinn around? She wasn't in the room when I left this morning, and I am concerned that she may have found some new plaything to torture."

It was Dox, her white blonde hair curling messily around her face. She blinked her eyes sleepily at me as she sat down at the table.

"Of course, she has many other playthings besides you, but she's taken a particular liking to Mello, so I assumed that, if she was going to be anywhere, it would be bothering you." She looked down at her bowl of cheerios with dismay. I shook my head, "Haven't seen her. Actually, we were wondering where she had gone off to too. She doesn't miss breakfast often."

"I was concerned about that as well. She's run out of snacks due to Roger reducing her stash exponentially after we rescued Matt. You know how she is when the Wasabi Peas run out."

Matt raised an eyebrow, and I sighed.

"I know she likes snacks but…" Matt started, Dox interrupting before he could continue.

"You know how Mello is more than slightly addicted to chocolate?" She asked, and Matt nodded vigorously in response, "Imagine Mello going through withdrawal, but, add to it a complete lack of self-control. When Mello goes through Withdrawal, all he does is complain and whine until someone gets tired of it and gets him more chocolate."

Matt nodded in understanding. On more than one occasion had he been put in the postion of loyal dog, and been sent to the kitchens to steal chocolate bars for me.

"Hey!" I remarked, trying to stand up for myself, they both looked at me harshly. "Fine, fine, I whine…but Kinn's worse."

"Indeed, when Kinn runs out of snacks, she gets violent. She will attack just about anyone to get her teeth in something. One day she ran out, and to protect the other students, Roger locked her in her room. When someone went into check on her they found that she had shredded the bedding, broken the bedposts, and was gnawing on her own, bloody arm."

Matt shivered. "Why in the world?"

"We don't know, but Roger thinks it's some sort of condition from her childhood."

"And yet that old fart still takes away her snacks, even though she turns into a rabid zombie without them."

"Zombie?" someone growled behind me, making my skin crawl. "Is that really what you all think of me?"

Dox perked up, she stood up and raced over to the infuriated Kinn. "Ahhh, I was worried that you had eaten someone, or maybe gotten into the cleaning cupboard again! I don't like it when you have to go to the hospital. I means the room is empty." The small girl exclaimed as she took hold of Kinn's arm. Kinn smiled sweetly at her, patting her head as she responded.

"B gave me some of his jam, so it's okay…However," She looked at me, her glare ripping into my skin, "Thanks to a certain someone, I am indeed currently snack-less, and I fully expect this someone to rectify the situation."

I shivered. Her tone of voice was dark and dripped with malice. It was a tone of voice that I had only heard one time before. It had been a few years ago, the year Dox came to the orphanage. Dox had attracted Kinn's attention right away when she had come, and no one really understood why. But, with Kinn being one of the few girls without a roommate it was only natural that Roger had insisted, much like he had with Matt and I, that Dox move in with her. However, Kinn didn't mind, which was odd. She wasn't a terribly social person, and most everyone was too afraid of her to want to interact with her. But, when she had gone to collect a favor from Pole, an older classmate at the time, something went wrong. Pole had decided that she'd had enough of Kinn's manipulating, and had noticed the color-blind girls affection for Dox. So, she had taken to beating up Dox after class, threatening Kinn with the harm of her precious roommate. The one time I had heard that tone of voice, was when Kinn was standing over Pole with a butcher knife in her hand. She'd broken the older girls arm and fingers before threatening her with the knife. Her words still rung in my ears: "If you dare touch this girl again, I _will_ personally dig out your eyeballs, and make you eat them."

"Um, what exactly does this uh," I cleared my throat, "someone, need to do to rectify the situation?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from wavering. Matt looked surprised, and I realized that he hadn't been around long enough to see the more violent sides of Kinn.

"_You_ need to do two things. One, you need to give me all of your chocolate. And Two, you need to get me more snacks."

_Well,_ I thought, _isn't that super specific. _

"How in the world am I supposed to get you more snacks?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"Hack into rogers computer and find the monthly order for food. It should have arrived yesterday. It'll be due in the next week, so make sure you're done by then."


	12. An Apology from a formaly MIA author

So…uhhh this is a quick, one sided author note (since this is written by two people) basically…..this story has been updated in a loooonnnnng time…..and I wanted to apologize for that. Basically, shit happens….and we forget things and get distracted with different things. But hey! We aren't dead! Hahaha

Ha

Haaaaa…..

So yeah…

We are truly, and sincerely, terribly sorry for our unexplained and sudden absence…..

The next part is in the making….

So hopefully it won't take too long…

Thanks for reading!

~KF


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